Come to Me
by MovingOnIsNeverEasy
Summary: Accidentally Elena Gilbert calls her soul mate from the great beyond. They get thirty days to figure out whether they are belong with each other. Or is it just the way of the universe plays with their hearts? Follow their journey that filled with fluff, love, hate, anger, and angst. AU AH.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, you guys!**

 **It's been a while, and I just can't find it in me to keep the story to myself anymore even though I have other stories I need to finish. Don't worry, _Blind Date_ and _Something Like Fate_ are on progress, I have written two chapters for each of the story so it just a matter of editing.**

 **Well, here's the new story, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

Jenna Sommers, with her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and her perfectly ironed green blouse hugging her body, signs the white paper contract in her hand before hands it to the dark-skinned man in front of her with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Well, here you go, Mr. King. I hope your bride-to-be is excited for the house as much as you do. I will call the renovation guys tomorrow and get them re-do all the bedrooms and also the back yard," Jenna smiles happily. She gives the man a set of keys from her purse, "and here are the keys to the house and all the rooms."

After a few minutes of exchanging pleasantries and thank yous, they go separate ways. The twenty-eight year old woman, who shows her perfectly white teeth when she smiles, gets into her car; places her purse on the passenger seat, then punches some buttons on her GPS to make a call to someone on her contacts named 'Elena'. After that, she starts the engine and makes a move to leave the house she has just sold to her own house that she has been occupying with her niece for the last three years.

" _Hello?"_

"Hi, 'Lena. I'm going home now. Do you need anything? I'm going to cook pasta for dinner and stop by Tesco or Fresh Market, anywhere closer from here basically," Jenna said as she sees a Whole Foods sign in less than a mile, "Well, Whole Foods it is."

" _No, thanks, Jenna."_

The older woman slightly frowns, "Did someone call you names again at school? Bully you again?"

" _No, and I don't need you to look out for me, okay? I'm fine. Bex just finished her homework here with my help and I'm just tired,"_ Elena mumbles through the phone.

"Okay, then. I'll see you in thirty."

"' _Kay, bye."_

Jenna hits the end button and takes a deep breath.

Elena Gilbert is an eighteen-year-old girl with long wavy chocolate locks that she often straighten. She has lean figure with legs that goes on forever and long fingers that she used to adorn with rings that her parents had bought her. Her round, doe eyes happen to be her best feature that can make guys' knees go weak, and her happy, bright smile is something that a painter would like to draw because it just so real and beautiful. And, she happens to be Jenna Sommers' niece.

Her niece is the only family she has left. Elena's adoptive parents, which happen to be her sister and her brother-in-law, had an accident three years ago and pronounced dead at the scene when they swerved their car and crashed when they got home from their date night. At that time, Elena was in her friend's, Bonnie, house. The police had called Jenna immediately, then she'd took an hour trip from her apartment to the hospital only to find her niece on her knees on the floor sobbing really hard with nurses trying to calm and comfort her. She'd known right then that she had become an orphan and Jenna had sworn to herself to be the best guardian Elena could ever have.

Ever since the tragedy, Elena has been shutting people off from her life. She used to be a popular girl in her school, but after the accident, she just didn't want to talk to people, let alone hang out with her old friends. Jenna had decided, in her own time of grief, to change the scenery and moved to the small town of Mystic Falls in Virginia. She'd bought a decent house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms for her and Elena with her own money so that Elena could use her parents' money for her college funding. She'd also transferred Elena to the only high school in Mystic Falls and quit her job as a design interior in New Orleans to selling houses in Mystic Falls.

Elena was fifteen back then. Back when she had friends and boyfriend who loved her. Now, at eighteen, she only has one constant friend, Rebekah Mikaelson, who lives two blocks away from their house and has a pair of twin younger brother, Klaus and Elijah. She is not a straight A's student like she'd used to be, but her grades never disappoint Jenna. Aside from her choice to be a loner, she is proud of her niece for being strong and keeps moving forward.

The twenty-eight year old woman gets out of her car before fishes out her phone from her back pocket and starts to text. A few minutes later when she gets to the dairy aisle, a tap on her shoulder breaks her out of her concentration from reading nutrition information on the milk carton.

"Hey, babe," a tall, broad shouldered guy kisses her cheek from behind. She turns around with a loving gaze on her eyes.

"You're here fast," she comments before she gives him a proper hello to his lips.

"I was just around, waiting for you to text me. What you're making for dinner?"

"Pasta; it's domestic."

They fall into silence as he wraps his arm around his woman's shoulder and they move from dairy to vegetable aisle.

"What's wrong?"

"Why can't you just turn your Jenna radar off for a day?" she teases, "you always know when something is up."

"I can't just turn it off. I love you," he bats his lashes to her making her let out a girlish giggle.

"Oh, God, I'm twenty-eight. I shouldn't be giggling like some school-girl."

"But I love your little giggles," he pouts then goes to kiss her temple. "Enough stalling, now what happened?"

She sighs with a heavy heart, "It's Elena. Again. You know, it's always about Elena, Ric."

"What about her?" he asks. Concern writes clearly on his handsome, manly face. He has never met her but he knows her niece means the world to Jenna.

"The usual. She still acts like she's the only one hurting in this entire world and she won't share her burdens, you know. Now, I understand that she doesn't want me to be sad because of her problems, but I want her to confide in me. I am her aunt after all, I'm family," she complains. She can just talk and talk about her problems and Ric, her boyfriend, will be the one who always listens and that one of the things that she loves about him.

"You know a death of a family means death of herself, right? You told me that yourself. She's so selfless and because of that, she becomes like that. She thinks she burdens you enough, honey, and she doesn't want to add more pain for you," Ric says softly.

"I know," she rests her head on Ric's shoulder, "but she can't keep it all up inside forever. If it's not me, she needs someone to be there for her. She doesn't even tell her friend that she's an orphan. I talked to Bex one time, and she didn't even know. And we'd already moved for a year that time. One day, her selflessness and her loner behavior could kill her."

Ric goes silent for a minute as Jenna takes carrots and corns into her shopping cart. She's just about to grab a broccoli for dinner tomorrow when Ric half-whispers-half-shouts to her.

"I got it!"

She gasps and widens her eyes, "You startled me!"

"I'm sorry, baby. But, I know how to stop this. All this," he makes a big round with hands gesture, "with Elena."

"What do you mean?" she asks, a little confused.

"We do what we do best. Playing cupid. Except this time, we use the same way you used the first time you met me," Ric smiles so big that Jenna thinks it would hurt his face.

Jenna's natural make-up covered face lights up slowly as s happy smile forms on her face, "Oh my God, You are a genius! That way, she will find someone who can be there for her and she can confide in him... well, or her. Anyway, whoever she gets, it will be her destiny that's decided. She can't run from her destiny, right? Once that person gets her to be her happy self again, I will get my niece back."

"Yeah, we need a plan first, though," Ric says, pausing their happy moments.

Jenna frowns, thinking hard for the way to get Elena happy again. After a minute or two, she gasps excitedly.

"I know! I know how to get her do that. So," Ric gets closer as she telling him her plan, "We will..."

* * *

"I'm home!" Jenna yelled with both hands holding a big paper bag filled with her groceries.

Elena runs down the stairs then helps her aunt with taking one of the paper bags out of her hands, "You're late. You said you'd be here in thirty."

"Yeah, I met someone when I shop," she went to the kitchen with her niece following behind and put the groceries on the marble island in the center of the kitchen.

Elena mumbles as a response. She doesn't really curious about the person her aunt's dating as long as she is happy. And she knows that Jenna is happy from the way she has been acting lately for the past five months. She knows her aunt has met someone special and if she doesn't want to tell her yet, why should she be nosy about it?

"Could you boil the water first, 'Lena? I'll go get changed," as soon as she finished saying that, Jenna bolts out of the room.

Elena does as she is told. As she waits for her aunt and for the water to boils, she cut the carrot. It is her specialty, cutting. It is something that she likes to do when her mother was still alive and she had asked Elena to help her in the kitchen.

When her parents were pronounced dead and she'd gotten a call from the hospital, Bonnie's mother had taken her immediately to hear the verdict from the doctor. She won't go out of her room for days made Jenna really worried. She'd felt bad for punishing Aunt Jenna like that, no matter what, it wasn't her fault that her parents got into an accident and killed themselves. She'd started to avoid the crowds in school and always ate lunch by herself. She had ever even talked to Jenna only ten words once.

She wasn't close to Jenna because she had lived in New Orleans whilst Elena's family lived in Denver. She felt she had no one anymore. But then, Jenna started to make her come out of her shell when she asked her what did she think about moving to Virginia. She moved town and she moved school. She found new friends but still, some of her classmates looking at her weird most of the times. Only Rebekah Mikealson, who was never tired to asked her out many times to The Grill. She kind of found herself in Bex. She had lost her youngest brother, Kol, before her twins brother had born.

"'Lena, have you put the pasta into the boiling water?"

Jenna's shouting heard from upstairs makes her break out of her reverie then stops her cutting and takes out the pasta and puts it into the boiling water, "Just did!" she shouts back.

"Thanks," Jenna's footsteps are getting closer as she goes down the stairs. She is already dressed in her worn out college t-shirt and yoga pants.

"You can prepare the table, I'll finish this one up," Jenna says then the younger woman nods.

"Wine or juice?" Elena asks as she opens the fridge.

"Wine for me and juice for you."

Elena smirks slightly before pouring out the wine and the juice separately.

"Oh, before I forget," Jenna turns around from the pan to her niece, "Could you do me a favor after school tomorrow?"

"What is it?" Elena asks for more details.

"I left some documents in the house I just sold. I really need it to make a report then send it to my boss as soon as I can. Can you get it? I'll give you the address tomorrow," Jenna smiles sweetly and when she sees Elena's blank face, she adds, "Please, please, I'll bring home Ben and Jerry's for you," she pleads.

Elena sighs with a heavy heart, who is she to deny her aunt who has been taking care of her in her time of need?

"Okay, I'll do it. Just don't forget the address," Elena answers, "and I want cookie dough ice cream."

"Deal! Thank you so much!" Jenna claps her hands enthusiastically then back to her and Elena's dinner.

* * *

 **So, yeah. Do you like it? Do you hate it? Should I continue? Should I just stop?**

 **Oh, it's the first time I used present tense actually. So, if you find any mistakes, point it out and let me know :)**

 **Tell me what you think by reviewing the story, or send me PM, it's up to you basically. Constructive criticism is appreciated.**

 **See you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Elena Gilbert has just parked her maroon Prius on the parking lot, grabs her backpack from the backseat then out the door in a second. She scrolls down her messages to find her aunt Jenna's message about the address when someone throws an arm around her shoulder.

"Good morning, babe!" Rebekah Mikaelson pecks her best friend's cheeks. The Mikaelson bombshell is Elena's first and closest friend after she's moved to Mystic Falls. With her long, thick blonde hair and cheerful personality, she balances Elena's doom and gloom.

Elena turns her head around to face her friend, "Morning, Bex. You are in a really good mood today, aren't you?"

"Well, it is the first time in two weeks after the twins got back to school that they didn't throw a tantrums, so I had my ten minutes more sleep today," she says cheekily before she opens her backpack and hands Elena her sandwich, "I, however, was too late to eat breakfast so mom got me these, want some?"

"No, thanks, Jenna's making toast and squeezed oranges today," she declined politely.

She shrugs, "Well, more for me," she pops one mini cut tomato sandwich, then puts the sandwich into her backpack again.

They walk to the corridor as usual before putting their stuff into their lockers. Elena and Rebekah are lucky they get lockers side by side, so that when someone is being mean to Elena, Rebekah is always there. Like this moment, for example.

"Look at that, our favorite lesbian couple have arrived."

Caroline Forbes, the queen bee and the head of the cheerleader team, saunters gracefully from their left side with her high, blonde ponytail in a perfect place and her cheerleader uniform flawlessly ironed.

Since the first time Elena had stepped foot in this school, for no apparent reason, the blonde girl have always hated her. Elena doesn't know what makes her despise her so much.

"Back off, Forbes," Rebekah gnarls.

Not a second later, Caroline's minions, Meredith and Nadia, stand beside their leader with their bitch face ready, "So, I bet you play the guy part when you guys... getting dirty," Caroline raises her brows twice with a sneer on her beautiful face.

Rebekah, who had a short temper when it comes to Caroline, starts to move forward with her right hand shoots up ready to slap the cheerleader, "Bex, stop," Elena grabs her friend's hand, "let's just go," she says calmly.

"Yeah, _Bex_ , listen to your lover," she smirks before she motions to her minions to follow her then leave.

Rebekah still pouting when they go to their first period, "I don't know why you can stand her. She used to be on my 'alright' box, you know."

"Well, maybe because she knows you close to me now," Elena smiles then links her arms through her friend's.

"Why does she hate you so much?"

"Don't know," they get to the class then sit on their own chair in front, "she's been onto me since the first time I came here."

"Maybe she's just jealous. You are clearly prettier than her. And even though you're quiet a loner, the guys still give you the wolf whistle everytime you walk by the football field."

Elena sighs, she doesn't care about guys because she doesn't what to get involved in any romantic relationship at the moment.

"Anyway," Elena starts to change the subject, "my aunt asked me to come to this address to get her documents from the house she just sold, do you know where it is?"

Elena gives Rebekah her phone to let her read the text Jenna has send, "Yeah, about twenty minutes from here by car, outskirt of town. Not too far away."

She puts the phone back into her back pocket, "Well, would you go with me? I really don't want to go alone."

"I'm sorry, but I can't, 'Lena. Mom wants me to babysit the twins today. She got a call from her client this morning," Rebekah grimaces, feeling guilty about not accompany her best friend.

Elena feels disappointed but she covers it quickly with a soft smile, "That's okay, I'll be in and out in five minutes anyway."

* * *

After school, Elena gets into her car immediately after saying goodbye to Rebekah then goes straight to the address Jenna has given her. After a few minutes, she is faced with a big Victorian two-story house with double oak doors and dark brown window shutters. She checks her phone to confirming the address before she puts it back to her back pocket and out of the car.

The house is an antique house that Elena used to imagine to lived in. When she was fifteen, with parents and with dreams, of course. She would imagine that when she finally got married, her husband would surprise her with a Victorian house with four bedrooms and four and a half baths, a basement for recreation room and three-car garage.

She sighs and shakes her head, trying to get the image out of her head. She reaches down to her front pocket to grab the keys her aunt has given her this morning. Jenna has told her that the document is on the second floor, second room from the stairs.

She opens the door carefully and when she gets inside and closes the door, she is in awe for the decoration. Jenna, of course, had put the furniture as a model for the house but she doesn't think it would be this beautiful. She also knows that Jenna was an interior designer so it adds a plus point for the house. She goes to the foyer and puts the keys on the table before she venture up to the second floor.

She does what Jenna had asked then opens the room. The room is medium size, which turns out to be a bedroom for a boy... or maybe for a teenager who is into soccer. On the corner was the single bed with bedside on each side and lamps on top of it. The dresser is on the front of the bed and next to the closet, there is a desk with a chair. The room is painted cream color with a hint of dark brown furniture.

Elena starts to search for the documents inside the bedside table and yes, she finds it in a minutes. What she finds is definitely what Jenna needs so she turns on her heels, when she feels something strange.

She feels someone is watching on her every single actions. She feels being watched.

And yet, she feels safe.

What a strange feeling.

She looks around the room but finds no one. She blinks twice before she decides that it my only be her imagination. She shrugs her shoulders then out the door in a second. She closes the door then walks downstairs.

Before she reaches the front door, something from an open space above her that directly see-through to the second floor, falls to the ground.

"Shit!" she curses, feeling startle.

She bends down to find an old leather covered journal fell from above. She looks up but she sees, once again, no one. She frowns before she picks it up and stand up. She turns the journal then opens it to find out who it is belongs to. But she finds none. Not one page is written with something. Her frown getting deeper when she looks in the last page there's an entry.

 _In the sun and the moon_

 _There is the light and the dark_

 _In the dark there is a light_

 _Only you can find_

 _When I appear I hope you are ready_

 _For I have waited for so long_

 _When you are ready I hope I am ready_

 _For I will see the eyes of my destiny_

Elena reads aloud the entry in front of her. She feels kind of weird after reading it. She's no longer feeling like she is being watched. She closes the journal before she tucks it in her arms as well as the documents. She goes for the keys on the table then opens the door. She is practically sprints outside then takes a deep breath. That is some strange experience she has felt in her life.

* * *

"So, you got the documents?"

Jenna, with her pink with yellow stripes apron and bright smile, kind of remind her to a smile which belongs to a five year old after finding out that Santa has left something under the tree, greets her as soon as she closes the front door of her house.

"I did," she hands her the documents, "I hope you don't forget my ice cream, though."

"Oh, thank God. I really need this. Thanks, 'Lena."

Her aunt runs out of the room to go to her bedroom to finish the report immediately. But before that, in the middle of the stairs between first floor and second floor, she stops then turns around to find her niece who is still struggling to take off her shoes.

"You seem different. Did something happen today?"

"What do you mean?" Elena asks in a straight face. She doesn't want her aunt to know her discovery today. Because if she does, she would force her to bring the journal back to the house.

"You seem... I don't know," she's struggling to find the right words, "like you're hiding something."

"Nothing, Jenna. Caroline happened today but no big deal. Bex was there, as usual," the lie comes out of her mouth easily.

"Do you need me to talk to Sheriff Forbes?" Caroline's mother is the sheriff in Mystic Falls. She was so kind to Elena the last time she met her two months ago. She is definitely the opposite of her daughter.

"No, thanks. Nothing I can't handle," she says, making her way to the kitchen, "I'll take my reward now."

She opens the freezer to find a batch of Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough and grabs it wholeheartedly. She takes a spoon out then sits on one of the stools, and shoves a handful of ice cream into her mouth. She moans.

Ice cream beats everything, she decides.

She takes another one before she remembers the journal and takes it out from her backpack to inspect it.

* * *

After a half carton of Ben and Jerry's for dinner, and a bowl of cereal, Elena walks upstairs to her room. She gets in and closes it, then puts her backpack on the corner of the room.

Her room is simple yet cozy. It is painted soft pink with a window seat, which she often uses to read or just thinking. Her room connects to a Jack and Jill bathroom with the guest room that Jenna uses for her home office now. Her queen-sized bed has light green and white bedding with frills and on top of it, she puts two pillows and four throw pillows with quotes to remind her that 'every day is a new opportunity to be happy'. Her dresser is beside her white vanity with her small screen TV on it, and her closet is on the opposite of the bed. She doesn't really have much picture since she won't hang the pictures of her friends from the past that will only remind her of her parents. She only hangs many printed quotes on the small bulletin board on the wall and a picture of her and Jenna.

She plants herself on the bed without taking off her shoes and sighs.

After she double-checked that there is not a single entry beside the weird entry about the light and the dark, she finds nothing to give her more clue on whose it belongs to. She can't really tell her aunt that she has the journal in her person, she would force her to put it back to the house and she is far more curious about the journal to have it back in the house again. Besides, the journal _came_ to her. She didn't exactly steal it.

She decides to take a shower and wash her hair before bed. She takes out her deep purple tank top and a flannel short then heads to the bathroom. She spends enough amounts of water to make her feel relaxed and calm after the day she has had. She takes a shower for about twenty minutes before switch her hair dryer on but leaves the hair half-dry.

She opens the door to her room when she hears someone clears their throat.

"Excuse me, are you—"

Elena looks up to find a man inside her room. She gasps loudly and before he can continue what he has to say, she screams her heart out with her eyes wide open.

How can she not? There is a man in her room.

A man.

Her opposite sex.

In her room, in the middle of a night.

He could be anything; a rapist, a thief, a homeless man wanting food from her. Anything.

When she feels she her throat getting dry, her scream stops. She blinks her brown eyes repeatedly before really taking in the sight in front of her.

The man can't be more than twenty-five. He looks like from someone who just comes out of young adult contemporary novel; with his bright blue eyes that reminds her of the ocean in a bright, sunny day, with his longs legs clad in dark washed jeans, and with his white shirt and a leather jacket, and boots.

He looks yummy, if she doesn't think that the man could be a rapist who happens to be stumbled into her house, in her room.

"'Lena!" Jenna's voice echoes from outside, "Are you okay?" she frantically trying to ripped the door open from its hinges.

Elena swallows then blinks some more and without taking her eyes from the man inside, she says, "Jenna, there's—"

"Don't tell her I'm here!" the man's velvety voice hisses as he takes a step toward her.

Instinctively, Elena backs away with fear in her eyes, "Please," she whispers, "don't"

"I won't hurt you. Please, just don't tell her," he pleads, and then takes a step backwards.

Jenna's knuckles must be hurt from the knocking she has done but she keeps going, "Elena! Open the door, now!"

Maybe her brain doesn't work at that time, or maybe she's being hypnotized by the man's eyes, that resulted in her doing exactly what he wants.

She tears her gaze from the good-looking man to the door, opens it a little then pops her head out to worried Jenna with her hand ready to knock again, "Are you okay? What happened?"

"There was a cockroach. A big one," she lies smoothly, "don't worry, I killed it. With my bag. Stomped it over."

"A roach?" Jenna asked, confused.

"Yep, didn't I tell you I hate them?"

"Well, you did. But you just screamed bloody murder."

"Yes, because of the roach. It flew from the dresser to the floor. Of course I screamed, they're disgusting," she makes a disgusted face with her nose scrunched.

"So, it's dead now?"

"Yes, killed it," she offers Jenna a small smile.

Jenna nods, doesn't believe her but she doesn't push her either, "Okay, then. Call me if some of its friends come."

Elena nods then her aunt walks back to her room across the hall.

She let out her breath that she doesn't realized she has held, closes the door quietly and locks it.

She turns around, hoping that the man she just saw is a part of her wild imagination, but she is wrong.

The man is still standing casually over there by her window seat with a light night breeze from the open window, that she's pretty sure has it closed, blows through his seemingly soft raven hair.

"Who are you?"


	3. Chapter 3

**So guys, _very_ short chapter, I know. But, necessary. **

**One of my lovely reviewers, Jairem, is very curious as of what is going to happen since it is AH means no magic. And like I told her, basically no magic, but destiny and true love occur. I am a sucker for all things destined-to-be-with story line.**

 **And, Damon is the only vampire in this story. But, don't worry he will t... wait, I said too much :P keep reading! And enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

" _Who are you?"_

Damon Salvatore looks at the girl in front of her, with her skimpy PJs and her hair falls in waves, yet he thinks that she is very beautiful like that, with a great amount of curiosity and amusement.

"What are you doing in my room? How can... I locked the window," Elena retorts.

Damon blinks, continues ogling the fine specimen in front of him, his smirk turns up slightly, hoping she would fall for his charms.

"You're a creep and I will call 911," she threatens as she digs up her phone from her front pocket of her backpack.

"No! Please, don't. I am not a creep," Damon says slowly, afraid to scare her more than he has already done.

She clutches her phone tightly in her hands, "Then, who the hell are you and how in the fresh hell you can get into my room?"

"What a dirty tongue you have," Damon teases, trying to ease the tension.

"Fine."

Elena punches the button on her phone, ready to call 911 when the phone suddenly flies from her hands into the creeper's hands in a matter of second. How in the world can that happen so fast?

"I'm Damon Salvatore and I am not a creep."

He pockets the phone as he stares at the girl—woman—in front of him.

"What, am I supposed to recognize you by your name?"

"I'm your soul mate," he continues.

Elena stares at him with wide eyes and a blank expression. How can one react after such announcement?

Suddenly she finds everything he says and does funny, she laughed. She really laughs like she hasn't done before in three years.

Damon frowns, confused at the laughing girl, who is supposed to be his soul mate and the reason he's back on the earth, "What are you laughing at?"

"You," Elena continues to let out her girlish giggle that kind of similar to Jenna, "You could be anything, you could be a rapist or a thief, and yet you said that you're my soul mate? Seriously? That's the best you got?"

"Oh," it dawns to him that she thinks he's joking, "I know what you're thinking. That I'm kidding right now."

"I _know_ you're kidding me right now," she chuckles then takes a deep breath or two to calm herself down after such a funny lie he has given her.

"I am not," Damon replies calmly.

Elena keeps looking at his—beautiful—baby blues to find a trace of joke, but she finds none. He is deadly serious.

"You're not kidding?"

"No, I'm not."

She licks her dry lips, "Here's the thing, Mr. Salvatore, you can't just show up here, out of nowhere, and then claim to be my soul mate. Besides, I don't believe in soul mates," Elena says, shrugging lamely her tired shoulders.

"There _is_ such thing as soul mate, and you _are_ looking at him right now," Damon emphasizes.

"What's your proof?" Elena challenges as she tips her chin toward him.

"I know that you've been in that house, that you got the documents from, this afternoon—"

"That proves nothing. You could be my stalker for all I know," she rolls her doe eyes.

"—and I also know that you found a journal, read the one entry from it. And," he moves a step closer, making her instinctively move a step backwards, "you felt like you were being watched. By me, in case you didn't know."

"Ha! That proves that you are a stalker," she says triumphantly then moves to the door.

"Wait, no. I'm not. Where are you going?"

Elena's out the door in a matter of second with Damon trailing behind but before she gets to Jenna's bedroom door, Damon grabs her arm and forces her to get into her room.

"What the—"

"Shh...,"Damon put his forefinger on her lips, "I told you the proof, and I'm not a stalker. I'm your soul mate."

She touches his forefinger slowly, ignoring the sparks that comes from his finger that touches hers, "You moved too fast for a human. What are you?" she whispers.

"I was a vampire, dead, you brought me back, then I guess I'm a vampire again."

Elena's jaw drops. In a second she regains her composure, opens her mouth ready to scream again for the second time that night.

"Do not scream!" Damon gnarls in front of her. With his body still pressed against her, he moves closer so that he invades more of her personal space.

She starts to pants, worrying about her life. This man—vampire—is here to kill here, she thinks.

But then, her logical mind gets the best of her, there is no such thing as soul mate, let alone vampire.

"There's no vampire," she grunts-whispers.

"No?" Damon bares his fangs from his mouth, letting his face adorns with red and blue veins and his eyes turn to black, with a hint of bright blue from his original eye color.

Elena sees with wide, fearful eyes, the vampire in front of her turns to his scary form, making her ready to scream again but his hand's faster, so he covers her mouth with his palm, unable her to do what her brain tells her to do.

"I told you, do not scream," he snarls, "promise me not to scream and I let you go."

Elena nods weakly with every ounce of energy she has left.

"Good girl," he lets go of his grip from her, then slowly lets go of his hand on her mouth.

Without further ado, Elena falls limply in his arms.

* * *

Elena's head is pounding. She feels like the first time she had hangover three years ago when she tried drinking his father liquor supply that she stole to one of her friends' party. She's awaken by her alarm on her phone, that strangely, is placed on her left nightstand.

She places her hand on her head, afraid that it may fall off, and then slowly sits up on her bed. She takes the alarming phone, and with a touch the sound dies.

Last night was a dream.

She sure dreams weird dreams sometimes, but never this weird like last night. A vampire.

She met a vampire in her dream that claimed to be her soul mate.

"Morning."

She turns her head to the window seat to find a man from her dream.

Damon Salvatore.

 _The_ vampire.

"Don't scream. Your screaming make me want to tear you to pieces," he teases, looking at her particular state, "Kidding. I won't tear my soul mate apart."

Then it dawns to her like a freight train. Last night was not a dream.

"You're real," she whispers, more like to herself.

"I am real as I can be," he moves to sit to the edge of her bed, "how are you feeling?"

"I'm... better," she says; now he wants to know about her well-being?

"Do you need anything? Water, maybe?" he voices out his concern.

Elena shakes her head slightly, "Why do you care?"

He sighs exasperatedly, "I told you, I'm your soul mate. Of course I care."

"Why are you here? How?"

"The journal. The mantra, to be exact, that you read off that journal is a mantra to call your soul mate. And here I am," Damon explains like it is the most rational thing in the world.

"That's not a mantra, that's a poem; an awful one. Besides, why you? Why are you my soul mate?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" he cocks his left brow.

"Well, yes."

"A person is destined to be with another for the rest of their lives on this earth. Guess the person that you are destined to be with is me."

"But...," Elena's frown gets deeper, "Why _you_?"

"I don't know. Ask God, or whoever you want to ask."

The blue-eyed man stands up and walks to her drawer, to her underwear drawer. He opens them and smirks as he sees what he's looking for. He picks up a red thong and twirls it on his forefinger with a big grin on his face, "Now, this is what I like to see."

Elena's face burns red. She got on her feet, temporarily ignoring her headache then snatches the thong from his hands, "Don't touch my stuff!"

He turns to face her, "Okay, on the more serious note, I need you to do one favor."

"What is it?" she asks instantly out of curiosity.

"Say that you love me."

* * *

 **Ha! Did you enjoy it? I didn't give out the story line too much, did I?**

 **Well, point out if I wrote this grammatically wrong and awful, and constructive criticism is always welcome. Do not forget to review!**

 **Have a nice day/night!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the thing, I went to bed at 2 am last night, woke up at 6 am, and now at 10 pm I'm sleepy already, so, I am sorry if you find some typos or grammatically wrong sentence.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4** **(Day 1)**

"Morning, Jenna," Elena sits on the stool with her pancakes ready for her to savor.

"Morning, kiddo. You forgot to turn off the alarm again?"

"Yep, forgot that today is Saturday and most people are still in bed," she pops a bite of her pancakes into her mouth, "pancakes are for special occasion only, you know."

"I invited a friend of mine to join us for breakfast, if you don't mind," Jenna says carefully.

"Well, it's your house, so I suppose that's okay."

"It's your house, too, hon," she reminds her niece, "he'll be here in five."

"Oh, wonder who that is," Elena teases.

Then she realizes, that teasing and joking and bantering around is not something she used to do with Jenna. She knows she really don't want to get attached to her because she's afraid something might happen to the only living member of her family and leaves her all alone.

"You are in a good mood today," Jenna winks.

"I am," she confirms, "don't know why, though."

"Well, it is a good thing, so do not lose that."

When they hear people chatting outside their front door, Jenna goes to open it. Elena stays in the kitchen, pretending to be cool, but inside, besides thinking about Jenna's 'friend' she's also thinks about Damon, the vampire, upstairs. She hopes he's already gone like she has asked him earlier before she went downstairs.

That Damon, though, she just can't wrap her head around what is going on in her life right now. First, she found an empty journal with only one entry filled with poem that turns out to be a mantra to call her soul mate, then Damon comes in, claiming to be her said soul mate and demands her to say that she loves him.

She was saved by Jenna calling for breakfast, she has dismissed Damon and literally has begged him to leave, to get out of her room by the time she comes in again.

"Hey."

She turns her head to face-to-face with Jenna and a handsome, green-eyed, sandy blond hair guy on her arms.

And Damon is standing behind them.

Elena swallows her pancakes, barely, before Jenna's excited smile adorning her beautiful face.

"This," she looks up to the man beside her, "is Alaric. He's my boyfriend... Damn, I'm almost twice your age and being coy about introducing my boyfriend to my niece," she grumbles quietly.

"Hi, Elena, nice to meet you," Alaric smiles as he tries to shake her hands.

Her focus is, however, on the man smirking beside him. With his eyebrows shot up high, because it is the first time he notices her name, enough to hide between his messy hair that falls on his forehead, he looks like a bad boy she has often seen on the movies

The eighteen-year-old shakes the hand in front of her, "Hey, you too."

"Hope I'm not interrupting your breakfast, though," Alaric says, noticing Elena's stiffness and keeps looking behind him, "Oh, this is Damon, one of my colleagues. I'm a teacher in Mystic High, barely started. You don't mind I'm inviting him also, do you? I saw him passed by –"

"It's fine," she chocks out "Nice to meet you, Damon."

At this, the blue eyed man takes a step forward and outstretch his hand, ready to shake Elena's, "Pleasure's all mine, _Elena_ ," her name rolls perfectly from his—beautiful—mouth.

To Elena's surprise though, the moment she decides to take his hand to shake it, Damon takes it softly and brings it up to his mouth to kiss the back of her hand. And she can't hide the feeling when his moist lips touch her hand. Her heart rate picks up and by the way Damon is smirking against her hand, she can tell that he hears it too, vampire hearing and all, she thinks.

"Well," Jenna's cheery voice breaks her out of her thoughts, "Let's eat before it gets cold."

Jenna situates herself in the dining are, sitting on one of the chairs, with Alaric beside her. Damon, acting like it's his house, sits in front of Alaric, and leaves the unoccupy chair beside him for Elena.

"Pancakes are pretty special in this household, I only make it when I have a good day," Jenna informs them as soon as Elena sits next to the vampire.

"I'm glad today is your good day, Jen," Alaric smiles to her which makes Jenna blushes like crazy.

* * *

After the awkward breakfast, for Elena at least, Jenna and her stay in the kitchen to do the dishes and the guys take up their places in the backyard, digging some holes for Jenna, who has been obsessed with gardening lately.

"So, what do you think of Alaric?" Jenna asks as she dries the plates.

"He's nice. He makes you smile and happy, so I approve," Elena smiles.

"It means so much, 'Lena. I really like him," Jenna sighs. A sigh that Elena knows as the sigh that she always uses when she's happy.

The younger woman grins happily at her aunt's new-found happiness. She moves to sit on one of the stools as she throws her gaze to the backyard.

Damon is digging holes. Just like Jenna has asked.

And it makes her heart warm by the sight of his white t-shirt clings to his muscular arms, his leather jacket is tossed on the Adirondack chair under the apple tree Jenna has grown for the last one and a half year.

"So," Jenna sits beside her, looking at the object that Elena has been paying attention to, "Damon, huh? I say he's around twenty four something, he's not that old, he could pass as a senior in high school. You like him?"

Her head snaps toward her aunt, "What? No. No way."

"Why not? He seems fine. _Very_ fine if you ask me," Jenna wiggles her eyebrows with twinkle in her eyes.

"He's not, he's a jerk," Elena mutters.

"Have you met him before today?"

"No, but I know guys like him. All bad boy type and only cares about himself," she makes her way upstairs leaving Jenna alone ogling her man in the backyard.

* * *

"Okay, teach, the girls are inside, you can tell me why you were willing to help me," Damon said, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"I told you, I just wanted to help. That's all."

Currently, Damon is digging holes for the flower seeds that Jenna has bought, while Alaric fertilizing the flowers Damon has planted.

Damon was a bit confused when the sandy haired guy has asked him where he was going when he was jumping down from Elena's room to explore the town, and to feed, of course. He has asked where he was from and when Damon didn't give him the exact answer, he invited him to eat breakfast with his girlfriend, Elena's aunt. The things he did were unusual, Damon admits. Who the hell invites a stranger to have breakfast with him, his girlfriend and his girlfriend's niece?

But Damon, with curiosity of Elena got the best of him, has agreed. And he was a bit surprised when Alaric introduced him as one of his teacher friends.

"I don't buy it," he spits, "What do you want?"

"Nothing," he sighs, "Look, I saw you close by and you looked like someone who hasn't eaten, so I invited you."

"I could be a murderer for all you know. Do you always this stupid?"

"I'm not stupid," he grits his teeth, "I'm a nice person, you should try that sometimes."

Damon purses his lips, which turns to a pout, "What's the catch?"

"For God's sake, no catch! Now start digging."

* * *

"Your aunt making me digging all day it exhausts me," Damon sighs all too over dramatically as soon as Elena walks out of her bathroom.

She lets out a small gasp, staring at Damon's domesticity by lounging in her bed with her teddy and one of her quotes pillows under his feet, "Didn't I tell you to go? This morning, remember?"

"What, I helped your aunt and you're making me go away?" he pouts adorably, hoping to ease the tension between them, "Where's the affection, Elena?" he emphasizes the 'E' in her name.

"This is my bedroom, and my life. You can't just waltz in it because you want to," she moves to the other side of the bed that isn't occupied, pulls the sheet but it's kind of hard since Damon is laying on it, "Besides, aren't you supposed to be dead? You're a vampire you said."

"You summoned me here, remember?" he smirks, "I cannot just _poof_ and disappear."

"You _poofed_ and here you are," she points out adorably making Damon's smirk goes wider, finally giving up and pulls the sheet as much as she can, lies down and covers herself in it.

"Yes, because you did something about it."

"Okay, then," she sighs, finally giving in to having a temporary roommate, "As we are going to be roommate for a while, until I can find a way to _poof_ you back to… wherever you were before, why don't we set rules or something?"

He turns his head to her, "What kind of rules?" he asks with gleam in his bright blue eyes.

"First, boundaries. You can't just show up here unannounced whenever you want, this is my room," she establishes, "Second, no secrets. You will tell me everything I want to know, and I'll do the same."

"What kind of things you want to know about me?"

"Like, what is it like to be a vampire, what do you eat, why can you go outside during the day, why –"

"You do realize that you ask me a whole lot of pointless questions, right?" he asks, amused.

"Well, I want to know. I'm a curious person," she says seriously.

"But in return, do I get to ask you anything I want as well?"

"But no funny business," she lifts up her slender forefinger in front of him.

He catches it then kisses the tip of it, making Elena blushes, and she cannot be more grateful that she has already turned the lights off, only the light from the moon that peers through her window, "No promises."

"Damon," she retracts her finger out of his grip, "you have to follow the rules."

"Fine," he rolls his eyes then shifts to his side, facing her.

She yawns adorably, making him smile softly at her, "First thing in the morning, I want to know why Alaric said you were one of his colleagues."

"Okay, princess."

* * *

 **Do not forget to let me know what you think of this chapter :)**

 **Have a nice day/night!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 (Day 2)**

* * *

The following day, Elena finds herself sweating after a couple of hours running with her ear buds on. When she has woken up this early morning, she has found Damon fast asleep with his mouth slightly hanging open and she could not help it but take a picture, though he has stirred for a moment before going back to sleep. After that, she has felt the force inside of her that urging her to be productive and starting the day with a morning run, which is an unusual thing for her to do. She has used to wake up at eight or nine in the weekend, run downstairs for breakfast then spends the entire day holed up in her room.

Jenna is brewing coffee when she gets home after her run, still in her loose white t-shirt and sweat pants, "You run?"

Elena wipes the sweat off her temple, "Yeah, it's a good morning."

"It is, I can see that," she frowns slightly at her niece queer behavior, "since when do you run?"

"Since today," the younger woman answers sheepishly.

Jenna's quiet for a few seconds, "Well, good for you. Coffee?"

"Sure, thanks, I will take a shower first though."

Elena practically sprints out of the kitchen, shaking her low ponytail as she run for the stairs. She gets into her room and closes it quietly, and finds Damon finally leaves the dream world and joins her in the real world.

"Good morning," she says, taking off her black hoodie.

"Ugh, you're a morning person," Damon replies in his husky I-just-woke-up voice, unintentionally making Elena shivers. How can he affect her so much with so little effort?

"Nine forty-eight a.m. is barely morning for me. Anyway, I want you gone in ten minutes, I want to take a shower," she informs him as she grabs her new white towel from her white dresser.

"Why, it's not even part of the rules," he smirks, sitting up so that his back is against the headboard.

"Uh, basically it is. Boundaries, remember?" she utters, very much annoyed at Damon.

She leaves him alone to the bathroom, but the smirk still intact to his face. It is so good to mess with her mind. He loves to get her rile up over nothing.

Wait.

Love?

Already?

Damon Salvatore does not do love, especially to a person he just met yesterday. A person who can barely tolerates him.

"I'm turning into Stefan with all the brooding," he murmurs, annoyed by himself.

He stands up, go for his leather jacket when he hears Jenna footsteps getting closer to her room. He blurs into the bathroom in a second, listening intently to Jenna's moving closer then stops in front of her door.

"Elena, I made toast, come downstairs after your showers."

After a few beats, she goes downstairs again. Damon closes his eyes. That is so close; he is half-thankful that he gets to be a vampire in his second chance in life, if you can call it life since he is supposed to be dead.

He turns around to finally realize that he is inside the bathroom, where Elena is taking a shower. He can easily rips off the shower curtain that, in that moment, mocking him by hiding her perfect petite figure from his naked eyes. Apparently, she is too busy lathering up her body with a loofah that covers in suds that smells like vanilla, unknowingly teasing him through her flawless silhouette. He can feel his jeans getting tighter and tighter by the second but it seems that his feet to be glued to the floor. He keeps staring at her silhouette, which now appears that she is rinsing her body.

After a moment of weakness, he finally gather up all he has, opens the door quietly then closes it again, and in a second jumps off the window. Who knows, maybe he will find some willing donor, or better yet, a female companion to be Elena's substitute.

* * *

Damon walks in a slow pace as he looks around at the town he has missed for the past twelve years. Mystic Falls was, and is, and forever will be his home. No matter the bad memories he has gotten when he was a child or his vampire life, this town also holds so many great memories; memories that he miss terribly.

He walks pass the bakery in the town square, that used to be a book store, then stops in front of it. He closes his eyes, smell of fresh bread coming to his senses. He decides to walk in only to find a woman, the same age as Elena he'd guess, with long blonde hair and a blue apron.

"Good morning, welcome to Mikaelson's Bakery, how may I help you?"

The chipper voice of the woman sorts his thoughts and he looks back at her and turns on his charm, "Yes, Miss…"

"Rebekah," she grins broadly, "I haven't seen you around, you new in town?"

"I just got back, actually, from a long… vacation," he smirks.

"Well, it's only fair if you tell me your name, wouldn't you say?" she flutters her eyelashes, and it actually makes Damon wants to gag. Do women today always this easy?

"Just someone passing by your bakery," he says. Damon's eyes suddenly turn to a darker shade of blue and widening slightly, "now, why don't you be a good girl, show me the restroom, and follow me?" he compels.

She blinks once before she says, "Sure."

She goes to the door behind her on the left, he casually follows her inside. As soon as the door closes between them, he traps her against the door, and she actually looks at him adoringly.

"Do not scream, you are going to enjoy this, Bex," he tells her, looking straight to her eyes.

His head dive in first to taste the skin of her slender neck as she opens more access for him. He can feel her veins pumping blood and he can't want to taste her sweet blood, as he hasn't tasted blood for twelve years; he can't even imagine why yesterday he could go on without blood.

He kisses and licks the spot once before his canines elongates and bites her, hard. The first drop of her blood tastes like sugar-covered strawberry for him. He sucks once, twice, three times before he hears her moan slightly, opening more access to her neck. This girl is about to have the time of her life. He let her hands roaming his toned physique and in return, he caresses her body like an instrument. He takes three big sips more before he feels her body limps in his arms, let go of the neck he has been devour, put his hands on her shoulders, pressing hard so that she won't fall down.

"Now, tell your boss that you need a day off, sleep it off, wear scarf for at least two days from now and, forget that you ever seen me."

* * *

Elena is busy with her math and English assignment for the past two hours. She has been spending most of her afternoon with writing her essay and doing equations and algebra that she doesn't even fully understand.

After breakfast, she has planned to ask Damon everything she has been dying to know. But, he never comes.

So, she has decided to do her homework while waiting for him, and finally gets distracted.

When she's on number four of the math question, she feels a gust of the wind that send chills to her skin, she looks up and finds Damon standing beside her window seat, a smug smirk graces his flawless face.

"Hello, Elena."

"Where have you been?" she closes her book, sits up Indian style from her laying-down-on-her-stomach position.

"It only has been two days and you already care to hear about my whereabouts?" he takes steps closer until he sits in front of her, copying her sitting style.

"That's because I had many questions that I want you to answer," she mutters.

"Math?" he stares down at her yellow notebook, showing him what she has been working on.

She follows his stare, "Yeah, I seem to be clueless when it comes to math."

"I am very wonderful in math," he brags, wiggling his thick eyebrows.

"You are?" she frowns, definitely second-guessing his intelligence.

"Come on, give me some credit. I've lived for a long long time, didn't you think I went to one or two Ivy League?" he rolls his—stunning—blue eyes.

"Huh, where did you go?" she challenges him, turning her chin up.

"Well, I took physics at MIT, seven years later I went to Brown to satisfied my hunger for English Literature, and twenty one years ago I took Math at Cornell," he reminisces.

"Wait, MIT? Brown? Cornell? How did you get in?"

"What, you think I'm not smart enough that I need to use my amazing vampire ability to compel people?" he starts to get irritated at her disbelieve.

One thing he doesn't think she would pick up, though. Now she knows vampire can compel people to do whatever they want. She doesn't want to show it to him that she now knows something about him, maybe she can use it against him in the future.

"Well, yeah," she says matter-of-factly, "you seem to be type of person who doesn't like to go to school, loves to string girls along, and full of himself."

"You just describe some hurtful things about me, I'm hurt," he feigns, putting his right hand atop his unbeating heart.

"Do you actually have feelings, Damon?" now, it is her turn to roll her warm chocolate eyes.

He smirks as a respond, "So, do you want my help? I'm great at math. Come to think of it, I'm great at everything."

"See, you are so full of yourself," she points out, a victorious smile adorning her face.

The smile, though, makes Damon's insides feel warm. Something that he hasn't felt in a very long time. He'd very much like to cause her to smile like that as often as possible.

"Do you want my help or not?" he pouts.

"Yes, of course, thanks. This is killing me," she dramatically claims.

"Now watch and learn, O' Young Grasshopper," he grins so big that makes Elena can't help but grin back.

* * *

"Thanks for tonight, Ric, I feel like a princess because of you," Jenna looks up to smile at her boyfriend, who currently wraps his strong arm around her shoulder and kisses her temple.

"Anything for you, you know that."

They walk to the front porch and stop after they reach the landing, "Do you think Damon is upstairs?" Jenna whispers, almost audible so that Damon can't tune in to their conversation.

"Of course he's upstairs," he says matter-of-factly.

"It's been two days, do you think it'll work?" she leans in closer so that only Ric can hear her.

"Jen, you took three weeks and a day to realized it. Give Elena some times, okay? But I'm sure slowly she will learn to open up to him," he speaks in normal tone, "and don't get your panties in a twist, everything will be fine."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Do not overthink, be positive and let universe do the rest. I trust it'll work," Ric says in confident.

She sighs softly, "Okay, then. And _I_ trust you."

He smiles, "Goodnight," he kisses her softly, leaving her breathless.

"Goodnight, Ric."

* * *

 **Well, don't forget to let me know what you think about this one!**

 **Have a nice day/night!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 (Day 3)**

* * *

When Elena wakes up the following morning, Damon is nowhere to be seen. Not that she wants him to be around, but it feels weird for her since she'd thought that they have made progress in getting to know each other after Damon helped her with her homework.

* * *

" _Thanks for your help. Seriously, if Mr. Bell gives pop quiz tomorrow, pretty sure I'd get an A," Elena sighs happily, as she put her note in her backpack._

" _Just call me your life saver, if you will," Damon says smugly._

" _Ugh, stop being so smug about it, it's just math," she throws a throw pillow, which would hit him square in the face if he didn't snatched it in time. He has such a great reflex since he is a vampire._

"Just _math? The subject had you begging for my help earlier."_

" _I did not beg, Mr. Salvatore, least to you of all people," she pouts and without her notice, Damon's smile gets bigger to see her so adorable._

" _Anyway, got any more homework I need to slay?"_

"' _Slay?'" Elena laughs, a genuine one and makes Damon laughs along with her, though he had never let out a genuine laugh before in years. "Nope, not today. Want to watch a movie? I just got a collection of Star Wars movies form Jenna, bunch of chick flicks, oh and a – why are you looking at me like that?"_

 _Damon grins big she thinks it would tear apart his cheeks, "You want to watch a movie with the big bad vampire?"_

" _I'm not scared of you."_

" _You did."_

" _Yes, yesterday. Because you moved too fast and with those fangs, who would not scream if one sees your pointy fangs?"_

" _So you're not scared of me? You're not scared if I bite you and drain you dry?" he wiggles his eyebrow, opening up his mouth._

" _No," she challenges._

" _Don't start something you can't finish, Elena."_

 _Suddenly Damon lunges toward her, pin her against the bed and has her screaming while giggling as he roams her sides with his slender fingers._

" _Stop," she pants, "I'm ticklish," she laughs loudly._

 _He stops, "Still want to watch a movie with me?" he flashes his fangs._

 _She sits up, punches his shoulder, "No, you ruin my mood. Let's just talk."_

" _I take it back. Let's just watch a movie, I don't want to talk," with his fangs gone, his lips turned downward._

" _Hey, remember our rule," she points out, "I ask, you answer."_

" _Fine."_

" _When were you… turn? Is… the correct word 'turn'?"_

" _Yes, we use turn. It happened in 1864." He answers casually, putting his arms underneath his head, as he gets comfortable on her bed._

 _She scoots closer toward his side, "That makes you more than a hundred years old," she exclaims._

 _He snickers, "When you put it that way, I seem like a pedophile, in bed with a teenager."_

 _She chooses to ignore his remark, "How old were you when you turn?"_

" _Twenty three."_

" _Who turned you?"_

" _Sore subject. Next question." He demands curtly._

 _Elena frowns a little, but she doesn't push him because she understands that he might need some space and privacy, "Okay, why did you die? Did you eat some garlic, choked to death?"_

" _Funny," he retorts, "I simply did not want to be in this world anymore, so I took off this baby," he shows off his ring on his middle finger._

 _She catches his hand, observing the ring, ignoring the chill he brings just by the touch of his finger. Is it what it feels like when you touch your soul mate?_

" _It's beautiful," she says in wonder, "and it's blue. Blue is my favorite color."_

" _You must love my eyes, then."_

" _You are so full of yourself," she abandons his hand, "What happens when you take off this ring?"_

" _I turn to dust. This ring is what makes me walking under the sun. It protects me."_

* * *

Elena gets up, makes up her bed before she walks to her dresser to grab a white polka-dot shirt and dark blue jeans. She uses her time to get ready since it's only seven and she doesn't have to be in school in another hour. When she finishes and get dressed, she goes to her make-up collection to put on some concealer, powder, mascara, and a bit of NYX nude lipstick that Jenna had gotten her few weeks ago.

When she walks out of her bedroom, Damon has already claimed his place, lounging on her window seat.

"Where were you?" Elena asks as she goes to her vanity to dry her hair with her white blow drier.

"Nagging me already? Or did you miss me?" he casually asks he, looking intently at her daily dose of beautification.

"I have other questions that I would like for you to answer," she says, plugging the blow drier and starting to blow her hair. Thankfully, Jenna had bought her a quiet expensive drier so when she uses it, it doesn't make much noise and she can hears Damon clearly.

"It's my turn to answer, don't you think? It's a two way street, we have to be fair," he shoots her one of his one little smirks that makes Elena blushes so she hides it with her long, thick hair.

"Fine, three questions. Now."

"What's your full name?"

"I notice that you are so very much intrigued with my name since the first time we met," she quips.

"You are an observant one," he grins.

She rolls her eyes, "It's Elena Elizabeth Gilbert."

"Hmm… interesting."

"Why?"

"No reason," he says, "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"That important to you, how?" she turns off her drier, combs the hair with her finger and leaves it wavy, just as she always does.

Little does she know, Damon is in awe for her natural beauty that he grins wider and thank whoever pair him with her that he gets a beautiful soul mate.

"Very. I need to know if I have competition."

"Competition?" she turns around to face him, with a small frown on her forehead.

"You're my soul mate, therefore –"

"Stop with the soul mate thing, please," she says exasperated, "You can say whatever you want about this whole thing, but stop saying that we're soul mates. It's… weird. I don't like it."

"It is the truth, face it."

He doesn't know why he feels all defensive when she doesn't want to acknowledge him as her sole soul mate, but he does. And he is never one to be the type of person who cares about what other people think about him.

"Just answer it, you owe me," he pouts, wanting to let go of the topic suddenly.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend," she sighs softly.

"Good. Why are you sad all the time?"

"What?" his question catches her off guard.

"Your eyes, they seem hollow. Empty. I don't see any picture of your other family members here," his eyes travels all around her room.

"I don't want to talk about it," She stands up suddenly, keeps her poker face intact, and grabs her backpack from the corner of her room, "I have school. Bye."

* * *

"Hey, Bex," Elena greets with a smile as soon as she sees her friend walking towards her.

After Damon has successfully put her in a somber mood, she tries to have a good day and it is starting by being nice with everyone. Except, maybe Damon.

"Hi, 'Lena."

"It's near summer and you're wearing a scarf?" Elena notices that Rebekah is wearing a red silk scarf around her neck. That must be uncomfortable looking at the weather now that is starting to get warmer.

"I just feel like it," she shrugs as they walk to their AP Math class together, "So, how's the college applications going?"

"Well, not that I have hope too much, but I'm planning to get away from here as far as I can. So, I applied to Brown, UCLA, and Duke. Jenna insisted I apply to Duke. What about you?"

"Wow, Brown and UCLA? Those are pretty far, Gilbert. Mom wants me in Duke as well, Dad tries to convince me to move to England to live with my grandparents as I attend Oxford, but I really want to go to LA, you know there are beaches there and God knows how much sun I need right now," she whines, pointing to her pasty skin.

"Maybe we can get in to UCLA this fall."

"Yeah, and we can share a dorm together," Rebekah smiles softly.

They talk about the homework, that Damon has helped Elena the night before, when they pass a classroom, in which they can hear sobs coming from it. They stop as a response; Elena is looking to her right, right to Rebekah's eyes as she does the same. They look around to find no one else notice the sound, even though there are a handful of students walking in the hallway.

"Do you hear that?" Elena asks.

"That is one ugly sob. Yet no one hears it. Talk about over-individuality," the blonde teenager rolls her round eyes.

"Let's take a look."

They peek toward the little glass in the door where they see a girl, with brunette hair in perfect ponytail wearing a cheerleader uniform, who looks a lot like Nadia, one of Caroline's minions.

"Is that – "

"Come on," Elena tugs in Rebekah's hand, and then she turns the knob of the door, and go in in a second.

The girl in question let out a gasp softly before she turns around, right in time where Elena closes the door of the classroom quietly.

"What are you doing here?" Nadia asks, her eyes are red and puffy.

"Nadia… are you okay?" Elena lets go of her friend's hand and takes two steps forward the crying girl.

"Stop," she commands, then sniffles, "Just go. Please."

"Hey, it's okay," Elena smiles, trying to reach out to crying Nadia.

She gulps then sniffles some more, "I don't need your pity. Just go, Gilbert."

"'Lena, she does not want us here. Let's just go," Rebekah utters, clearly feds up of the cheerleader's behavior.

"Nadia," Elena ignores her remarks, "are you alright?"

"No, and I don't want you here."

"You know, if you have a problem, you can go to your friends. Share with them," Elena says as she leans against a table, three tables from Nadia.

"They won't listen," Nadia sobs, covering her face in her hands.

"Or you can talk to your parents. Or the school counselor, I'm sure they will listen."

"No one wants to hear a pity story when they have perfect life," she wipes her face making her eye-line and mascara smear her face.

"Nobody has a perfect life, and you know it. I don't. Rebekah doesn't."

"Yeah? Do you have a brother who just got into an accident, got into a coma for a week, when your parents going through a divorce? While you," she yell-whispers, taking a step forward to Elena, where she no longer leaning against the table, "are almost got dropped out because your friend put cheerleading first instead of school? Huh? Do you?!"

Elena tries her hardest not to yell as well, but when she is pressured, she can't help but raising her voice, "No, but did you forget the part where my parents are dead? And I moved here where I knew no one until Bex, and you and your friends try to make me bad about myself _every_ single day? Did you, Nadia?"

Nadia's mouth gapes, her jaws go slack. It took her almost a minute to say, "I'm sorry."

Elena takes a deep breath, trying to compose herself, "It's fine. I'm okay. And you're okay, you just need someone who will listen to you. You can talk to me, or Bex."

"Speak for yourself," Rebekah quips from in front of the door where she stands.

"Bex," Elena hisses, turning her head toward the blonde-haired woman, and she lets out a defeated sigh.

"Yes, you can talk to me," Rebekah mumbles as she adjusted her scarf clumsily.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up. Good thing I always bring my wet tissues."

Elena go to where Nadia is standing, taking each step tentatively. And when she gets to standing in front of her, face to face, she brings out her wet tissues from her backpack, taking one out of it then carefully wipe the mascara tracks from Nadia's face.

Nadia keeps quiet when the brunette girl in front of her gets her cleaned up. She has been friends with Caroline all her life, and she has never done something like this to Nadia. She's not a gentle person with a big heart, that Caroline.

"Bex, you bring concealer and mascara?" Elena asks as she keeps busy wiping Nadia's cheeks.

"You know I do."

Rebekah takes steps forward until she is standing next to Elena; take out her small make-up pouch where she stores her compact powder, concealer, mascara and strawberry eos. For a whole seven minutes, the girls re-do Nadia's make-up, putting concealer to hide her redness around her eyes, coating her lashes with Rebekah's mascara, powdering her face with the compact powder, then sealing her lips with strawberry-flavored lip balm.

"There," Elena says in triumph for her work, "Good as new."

Nadia shares her little smile, "Thanks, y'all."

They all grab their things, put it back into their respective bags then smile to each other. But before they go out of the room, Nadia stops in front of them.

"Elena, Rebekah, I would really appreciate it if you don't say anything to anyone about this."

Rebekah smiles, while Elena grins, "Sure."

* * *

"Yes, Maam… no, I called Mr. King already to… I know but I already let him know that the construction will begin next week… yes, Maam… sure, of course… okay, thank you, Maam."

Jenna puts her rectangular cell phone into her purse as she fumbling with the keys to her house. As soon as she finally let herself in, she closes the door and put it on the table on the foyer.

She is home early because there is nothing she has to do at work. She went to the mall earlier to pick up some cakes because she just feels like to eat red velvet that a certain store has. She puts her cake in the fridge before she heard a soft snore coming from upstairs. She frowns, _could Elena be home already?_

She closes the door of the fridge slowly, turns on her heels then up the stairs. Without knocking, she opens the door to Elena's bedroom and the sight catches her breath away as she lets out a small gasp.

"Damon?"

The man in question is currently sleep like the dead, pun intended, spread eagle in Elena's queen sized bed with his leather jacket's off. Jenna remembers precisely that he is still wearing the outfit from yesterday.

"Damon," she calls louder, stepping into Elena's bedroom.

The Salvatore man turns his forehead into a small frown then let out a soft whimper, "what?"

"What the hell are you doing in Elena's bedroom?!"

He opens his eyes as soon as he hears the word 'hell', sits up then in a flash stand up on the edge of the bed.

"Jenna. It's – "

"What the hell are you doing in my niece's room?!"

* * *

 **Well, hello there! I hope you all have a very good day/night.**

 **With Ramadan and then Eid, I didn't have much time to write, plus there's this thing calls writer's block. I'm sure most of you have experienced it before. I have been living in a pretty secluded place for three weeks, not that I want to, but it is a part of mandatory subjects in my university to live in a pretty remote place to interact socially with the people and share my knowledge that I have gotten from learning in university. So, yeah, signal is hard to find, charger plugs are also not that much.**

 **Anyway, I'm sorry for the late update and hope that this slightly longer chapter can make up for it. Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think!**

 **Have a very good day/night!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 (Day 3 continued-Day 4)**

* * *

" _What the hell are you doing in my niece's room?!"_

Damon zooms so that he's now standing in front of Jenna, and the woman has fear and surprised all over her face.

"How… what..." Jenna pants in fright and curiosity.

"Shh… now listen to me carefully, Jenna. I was never here, you come to Elena's room to cleaning it a bit, then you feel tired and take a nap for an hour or two in your room," Damon's pupils dilates as he looks straight to Jenna's eyes.

She repeats his commands and goes to her bedroom without a word. Damon let out an exhale before he goes out of the window to find some snack to calm him down.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Ric, you were right! Damon is a vampire and he tried to compel me. Thank god for the vervain herbs you gave me yesterday," Jenna exclaimed as she sits on the edge of her bed.

" _Was he being anything but good? Did he hurt you?"_

"No, he just compelled me and I pretended to follow his orders."

" _Okay, good,"_ Alaric sighs through the phone. _"Now I want you to also put vervain in Elena's tea or coffee everyday, at least once a day. That way we know Damon can't compel her."_

"Okay, of course. But can you do something, though? Just make sure Damon is not staying in this house, especially not in Elena's room. Take him to your house, or something. Let him stay there," Jenna asks, fearing that Damon would take advantage of her niece.

" _I'll try to find him around town then offer him a place to stay, okay?"_

"Okay, thanks, babe. I'll talk to you later, love you."

" _Love you too."_

* * *

A sandy haired man spends his an hour long break sitting at the _Mystic Grill_ hoping the man that he's looking for come to the place since it is the most popular hangout place in this little town. He's sipping his iced tea as soon as he has swallowed his delicious chicken burger. Every five minutes, Alaric looks at the front door hoping Damon would come through it so he could launch his brilliant plan. Twenty more minutes until he has to be back at the school, a tall, lean handsome man in his leather jacket and the same shirt he had worn on Sunday comes strolling to the bar. Damon sits down and asks for a drink to the bartender as Alaric keeps his eyes on him. He finishes his iced tea before he gets up, sitting at the empty stool beside Damon, the vampire he has been waiting for.

"What do you want?" Damon asks a second before Alaric sits down next to him.

"It's almost 1 p.m and you're drinking bourbon?"

"It's 10 p.m somewhere, teach."

Alaric keeps quiet, studying what he wants to say next that would not make the man in front of him suspicious.

"I'd rip your throat out in ten seconds if you keep staring at me, I know I'm good-looking," Damon smirks teasingly, but Alaric knows that he'd do it in a heartbeat.

"I'm looking for a roommate. My old roommate left to get married and I can't really afford the rent with my income. I think I told you about I'm a teacher at the high school, just started last week," the teacher said casually, but he hopes Damon would say yes or else Jenna would go crazy thinking about a vampire hanging at her niece's bedroom.

That does it. He gets Damon's attention.

Damon turns his stool so that his blue eyes focus on the man in front of him, "What?"

"You heard me."

"So, your stupid plan is to ask a stranger to fill the void in your house?"

"You're not a stranger. You ate breakfast with my girlfriend and her niece on Sunday with me," he said matter-of-factly.

"You were stupid to do that without even knowing my name, and you are the most idiot person to ask me what you just asked," Damon turns again to his drink, completely ignoring the look that Alaric is giving him, "Get lost."

"Okay, I admit it was strange to do that, but honestly I saw you behind the tree at the Gilbert's property, and you look like someone who hadn't eaten in a month and I just —"

"I said get lost," Damon grits his teeth, "You are starting to get on my nerves, teach."

"Fine, last chance. I kindly offer a place to stay, _if_ you don't have any, for at least a month. Just until I can get back on my feet with the salary the school gives me. You in?"

"Why do you think I don't have a place to crash anyway?"

"Well, for one, you still wearing the same clothes as the last time I saw you. Second, that stubble makes me thinking you haven't got an appropriate shower in days."

"You're smart," Damon mumbles, looking down at his drink.

"That's why I'm a teacher," Alaric says proudly, thinking his plan is working after all.

Damon goes quiet for ten seconds before he turns his stool back again to face the History teacher, wearing his straight face, "Very well. I'll stay for a month."

A small smile turns wider into a grin that adorn Alaric's charming face, his plan is working. Jenna is going to be so happy, meaning that he is going to be so happy.

"Great! Here is my address," he takes out a piece of paper from his dark brown briefcase and write his home's address then gives it to Damon, "Feel free to come by after six. I have classes til four, then swing by to the gym for a while."

Damon takes the paper in his hand, "Wonderful."

Alaric gets up from his seat, takes his briefcase in his hand, "One more question. Do you have a job?"

"Being a fine-looking stud is one tough job to do all day," Damon smirks, downing his drink in one swallow.

Alaric rolls his eyes, preparing himself for a month of sarcasm from his new roommate, "Well, I need the money by the end of the month. That means a week from now, got it?"

"I'll give it you by tomorrow," he waves as if what he has said is nothing.

"See you later, _roomie_ ," Alaric winks mockingly, earning a groan from the vampire.

"Get out. Teach. Do something."

"I'm Alaric, by the way. Not 'teach'."

"Don't care."

* * *

"You what?"

Currently, Elena is in her navy t-shirt and grey yoga pants, sitting on her wooden chair doing homework. Damon casually leaning against her headboard with Elena's brown teddy bear sitting comfortably on his chest. Elena was in the middle of doing her AP English assignment when Damon told her about Alaric's offer and his new living arrangement.

"I accepted your aunt boyfriend's offer and now I move out of your room. Isn't that what you want? To have your room for yourself again?"

"But —"

Elena frowns. What is it with her? Sure, she wants Damon leave her alone but it doesn't mean she wants him to move out. For the past three days, he has made some prominent changes in her life, especially in her loneliness department, that she thinks she starts to get used of him being her roommate.

"What?" Damon asks, noticing her long pause.

"Didn't you at least a bit suspicious? First, with him invited you to our Sunday's breakfast, then offer you to be his roommate," Elena states, still trying to wrap up the fact that Damon will move out and the weird offer.

"Of course it's suspicious, my dear. But what's life without a bit sense of danger?" Damon smirks, turning on his charm in front of his soul mate.

Elena shakes her head slightly, temporarily forgetting her thousand long English reports that's due tomorrow, "Be serious for one minute. What if he knows what you are? What if he wants to stake you at night? You use stake to the heart to kill a vampire, right? The legend did not make that up, right?"

"I won't tell you how to kill me —"

"So I was right," she mutters under her breath.

"— And no matter what you say, I'm moving out in twenty minutes."

"Are you sure?"

"What, you worry about me?" Damon playfully narrow his baby blues then put the teddy that has been on his chest on the bed next to him.

She scoffs, "Why would I? I'm just trying to be realistic here."

"Because deep down, Elena," he accentuates the _E_ in her name to prove a point, "You are starting to care about me because of the way of the universe works that makes us soul mates."

"Dream on, Damon," she turns her focus on her homework but all she can concentrate is what are Alaric intentions to offer Damon such offer.

"Seriously though, Elena, it'll be fine," Damon says in an attempt to drop the subject, as he has to see what kind of place he is going to live from now on, at least for a while, in less than twelve minutes.

She sighs, "So, are you sure you want to live in Alaric's house? At least until I find a way to _poof_ you back to where you belong?"

"I am right where I belong, though," he says softly, making her forehead creates little creases, "I'm with you. I'm with my soul mate."

"Ugh, stop with the soul mate thing," she groans.

"I'm not going to stop until you believe me that we are soul mates," Damon exclaims in finality.

Elena mumbles something about him being stubborn before he gets up to where she is sitting. "Don't worry, I'll still be visiting you everyday. Or you want me to come every night?" Damon adds as he smolders his eyes and stares directly to Elena's captivating brown eyes.

"Whatever," she dismisses," Well, bye."

"That's it? Just 'well, bye'?"

She let out an over dramatic sigh before she turns to face him, "It has been a good three days with you here and I humbly thank you for your help to help me with my homework, and I hope you're happy in your new place. Now, good bye."

"Elena, I'm hurt," he pouts, sticking out his bottom lip, "Where's the love?"

"I don't even like you, vamp," she sticks her tongue out, earning her Damon's most famous smirk.

She giggles softly, "Honestly, though, Damon. If you need any help, just come to me. It's the least I can do anyway for your help with my homework and –"

She trails off. She can't really say thank you to Damon for making her laugh and entertained for the past three days.

"You got stuck in the middle of the sentence again," he singsongs making her let out a slight chuckle.

"And making me… less lonely for the past three days," she smiles sincerely.

"So now you admit you're lonely. Just when I'm about to leave, you give me something that raise a dozen questions about you," he muses.

"No, we are not roommate anymore. You have traded me to the less beautiful and less amazing person than I am. You do not get to ask questions and expect me to answer you anymore."

"You're right," he states.

"About what?"

"That you're far more beautiful than Alaric. You're far more beautiful than other women I have met before in the lifetimes I have lived in," he declares softly. And as soon as the words come from his mouth, he suddenly feels all warm inside because he finally get to see Elena blushes because of his statement.

Elena herself, aside from the pinkish red that starts to form on her cheeks, feels her stomach somersault in reaction to Damon's declaration. Not even her past boyfriends have ever said anything as sweet as Damon just did.

"Now, you're just joking," Elena shakes her head, trying to compose herself.

"Believe it or not, it is what I think of you honestly," he starts to make his way to the window. He wants to get out of Elena's room before he says something so impulsive that will only make both of them confuse, "I think I'm gonna get going. I'll see you around. I mean it when I said I will visit you everyday."

Then, in next second he's gone, leaving Elena dumbfounds staring at her window.

* * *

Damon opens his eyes because of the sunshine that shoot directly on his perfectly sculpted face. He blinks repeatedly before adjusting to the light.

Last night, at ten past six p.m, he had arrived at Alaric's house that now also a place for him to stay. It was a one story house that painted white with window shutters and medium sized oak door and two pale yellow Adirondack chairs on the front deck. Alaric had shot an eyebrow knowing Damon only brought one backpack consist of a pack of underwear and boxer, four black shirts, one navy shirt, one deep red Henley, and one dark washed jeans and one dark blue jeans, that he had stolen from a nearby expensive store but Alaric did not need to know about it. He had shook it away then shown him his room across the hall. The room that Damon had and will stay in is pretty simple. The walls were painted off white, a bed that enough to fit two people with white sheet and brown quilt, a dresser in front of the bed with a small TV screen on top of it. A small walk-in closet on the corner and the small bathroom with showers, toilet and a sink in it.

"You like? It doesn't scream luxury but it's pretty much I can afford. Well, with a roommate, that is," Alaric had said.

"Eh, it's okay, not as big as my home I used to live in."

"Where are you from?"

"New York," he easily had lied to his new roommate.

"That's… pretty far away."

He had nodded, trying to stop Alaric from asking any more questions.

"Anyway," he had continued, "We are adults here, so I just want you to keep the dirt in your room. Help yourself with the beer in the fridge and the wine on the wine rack at the kitchen as long as you don't finish them by yourself. And the money is by end of the month, you really don't have to give it to me tomorrow."

"I said I will give you tomorrow so I will give you tomorrow." Yet Alaric also did not need to know that he will compel some people to give him money that covered enough both their rent.

"Okay," he had raised his hand up in the air.

Damon shakes his head trying to wipe the sleep off his face. It feels strange for him, after three days waking up in Elena's girly bed, he is alone in a very uncomfortable, plain bed. He decides he will visit Elena after school, and grabs some donated blood bags from hospital since he does not feel like to compel people for his daily feedings. Being away from Elena feels sucks, he decides.

* * *

 **Surpsise! I had a pretty good day at campus today and in a really good mood so I put it in good use by continuing Come to Me. For those who haven't read Blind Date, I rewrite the chapters so you can check it out!**

 **Do not forget to tell me what you think by hitting the review button!**

 **Have a great day!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 (Day 4-Day 5)**

* * *

Damon steps out of the showers after three days of not having water splashed against his skin. He chooses to go with his black shirt, dark washed jeans and his usual black combat boots without his leather jacket. He goes to the full-length mirror in the hallway and smirks, knowing how good-looking he is. He walks outside of the door and lock it before he makes his way to the nearest hospital to grab some blood bags. It's a good thing Alaric has an unused freezer with the lock in the garage. All he has to do is fix it a little and voilà, he'd be able to save some bags in the freezer.

It's been three hours after he'd make a stop at the hospital then comes back to the house to put it in the freezer. He has compelled some people to give him some money as well, and come back with at least three thousand dollars in cash. He hasn't seen Elena and it's already in the middle of the day.

He… misses her.

He misses the way her nose scrunches up when he tease her.

He misses the way she lets out a light giggle when he say something that she thinks strange or funny.

He misses her hair, her redden check when he tries to flirt with her, her wonderful smell that just scream Elena.

He misses her everything.

He lets out a sigh as he put down the blood bag that he has just finished on the coffee table in front of him. He leans to the maroon couch in the living room as he props his legs on the table. Elena would be in school by now, at least three and a half hours to go before she could go home.

* * *

"Elena… Elenaaaaa," Rebekah waves her small hand in front of the face of her best friend.

They are currently having a free period after lunch so they decided to hang out at the school's gym since they will have AP English in an hour. Rebekah is lounging as Elena is sitting Indian style with her backpack beside her.

"What?" the brunette turns to face the blonde.

"You've been out for ten minutes and lost in your own little world. What's wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," she answers quickly. Too quickly.

"Liar," Rebekah half-whispers, half-teases.

"Honestly, I'm okay," she starts, "I'm just –"

"Just what?"

"I feel… weird. Like I'm not really in the mood for talking, yet I want to talk. I'm just… I don't want to be in school, I wanna leave. Though I can't or else the principal will call home and Jenna's gonna be nosy," she sighs.

"Has something happened? You're quiet, yet different kind of quiet as you used to."

Elena is debating whether it is wise to talk about Damon, the source of her odd moods since she doesn't have any idea about his whereabouts and what's he's doing right now, to Rebekah.

She sighs, "So, hypothetically, if you met someone, who claims to… like you yet you don't believe him, but you have spent a few days with him hanging out with you and now he's just… not present. Gone. How'd you feel? What'd you do?"

Rebekah knits her eyebrows together, "Okay, so hypothetically, if I don't believe him that he likes me but then feel like what you're feeling right now, I would go to him, hang out with him some more, get to know him. Then maybe, just maybe, I would understand that he likes me," she answers, "But, just hypothetically, right?"

"Right," Elena whispers quietly.

"Is that what's going on with you?"

She scoffs, trying to find her best feature to cover up the lie, "No, I said hypothetically."

"Okay, then," she lets go of the subject, for now.

They spend another ten minutes in quiet as they mull over things inside their own heads. Rebekah decides that she doesn't like the silence, so she takes out her pink iPod and press play on it. 'N SYNC's melodious voice comes from the speaker in an instant.

 _It's tearin' up my heart when I'm with you, but when we are apart I feel it too…_

Elena snaps as the images of Damon's lounging on her bed with her stuffed animal comes to mind.

 _And no matter what I do, I feel the pain with or without you…_

And the images of Damon's eye thing and smirk replace the one where he is lounging, making her smile involuntarily.

The upbeat music keeps going as Elena's head starts to bob up and down slightly earning a faint frown from her best friend.

"Since when do you like this kind of music? All you have in your phone all ballads."

"What's this one called? It's from 'N SYNC, right?" Elena totally ignores the girl's question.

" _Tearin' Up My Heart_. "

"I'm going to buy it on iTunes," she fishes out her iPhone latest model that Jenna had bought her a couple of months ago then goes straight to the app where she can buy songs.

Rebekah shakes her head, trying to overlook her friend's newfound love on upbeat songs.

* * *

"Would you like to go my house? Starting early our final project for Miss Henderson's class?" Rebekah questions as they walk toward the school's parking lot.

"That would be –"

Elena trails off as she watches Damon saunters toward where she and Rebekah are standing, not even four feet away from him.

"Hello, Elena," he smirks as soon as he gets to stand only inches from Elena's surprise face.

Rebekah notices he attractive man standing so close to her best friend and looks around to find many girls, even Caroline and her minions, with their jaw drop. She has to agree with them, the man is tall, dark, and handsome. It's like he just stepped out of every girls' wet dreams.

"D… Damon. What… are you doing here?" she backs up a little to find fresh air that is not contaminated by Damon's masculine aroma.

"Told you I'd be seeing you everyday," he winks playfully, smiles so big that she can't help but return it.

"Well, how are you? Settling in just fine?"

"Not as good as my previous room though," he pouts, casting down his electric blue eyes to his feet.

"No take backs, Damon. You can't move in again once you move out," she imitates his smirk earning a lighthearted glare from him.

"Uh, Elena," Rebekah suddenly breaks their playful connection.

Elena blinks twice before she turns her head, making her hair flips which Damon enjoys watching it, "Yes, Bex this is Damon. Damon this is Rebekah."

Damon, for the first time, notices the environment and turns his gaze halfheartedly to the person next to Elena. His eyes widen a bit due to the familiarity of the face of Elena's friend, before he covers it up, and tips his head to Rebekah, "Hey."

Rebekah frowns, "Have we met before?" Elena shoots her eyebrows upwards to Damon.

"No, I just have one of those faces," Damon smiles tightly, completely ignoring Elena.

"Uh, okay," she turns to face Elena, "So, what about the project?"

Elena makes a face, "It's due in a month and a half. Don't worry about it, we can work on it next week."

"Okay, then. I'll see you tomorrow," she grins at Elena then faces the blue-eyed stranger, "Bye, Damon. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm sure," Damon breathes after Rebekah walks away.

"What the hell, Damon? You can't just show up here," Elena throws her hand wildly in the air, "You're making a scene."

" _You're_ making a scene," Damon replies casually, "Look around."

Elena just realizes that almost every heads in the parking lot is directed to her and Damon with curiosity, amazement and soft sigh from the girls, which Elena is sure it is come from how attractive Damon is.

She can't help but notice how handsome he is, with his dark ensemble and startling blue eyes. But if what he has been saying is true, that Damon is her soul mate, she is the only one who allows to ogle him. She feels her protective and possessive side consume her and she decides to drags him to where she parked her car and push the unlock button.

"What are you doing here?"

"I told you I'd be seeing you," he frowns, sensing her unusual behavior. As if she doesn't like him to be here. Well, it's not new that she doesn't want her here but he feels off with the way her small right hand, adorns by her pear-shaped ring on her ring finger, still hanging on his left arm. He can't help but feel proud that he's the one Elena hanging on to.

"Gilbert," Caroline and her cronies come toward Elena and Damon.

The brunette girl instinctively squeeze Damon's arm harder and in response, Damon's free hand fall on top of her hand on his arm.

"Who's your new friend?" Caroline's eyes twinkle, gawking at Damon like he was a piece of meat.

"He's Damon," a squeak comes out of Elena's mouth that Damon notices makes creases appear on his forehead, "My—"

"Boyfriend. I'm her boyfriend," Damon cut off Elena's introductory of Damon as he senses unfriendliness from the blonde-curled hair girl in front of them. Elena's head snaps upward to Damon and finds him smiling softly at her as if he's saying 'play along'.

"Wow," Caroline's eyes widen in surprise, "You have a boyfriend?"

"She doesn't like to brag, this lovely girl," Damon sends her one of his mischievous smirks, "I've been traveling and I had a chance to pick her up for the first time today. Nice to meet you, Miss… "

"Forbes. Caroline Forbes."

Suddenly, a hurl of wavy brown hair comes toward them dressed in a cheerleader uniform as identical as Caroline's with a couple of books in her hands, "I'm sorry I'm late, Mr. Wyatt wanted to give me extra credit for his… Caroline?" Nadia calls, obviously oblivious to the intense scene in front of her.

Nadia turns to Damon and Elena with surprise written all over her face. This man is so delicious she could burst.

"Elena," she nods.

"Hey, Nadia," she replies meekly.

Damon, however, flabbergasts by the girl standing in front of him. A look that goes unnoticed by Elena.

Nadia Petrova.

* * *

The next day rolls around, Elena had let Damon hanging out in her room until sundown but she couldn't help but think that he was super quiet, he usually could not stop talking.

Just last night, after Damon had left, she resolves that Damon needs a phone so that she could call him or vice versa, and just confirming about each other whereabouts since she can't help but feel worry when Damon lives apart from her.

She decides to wear her white flowery skirt that stops just above her knee, her black sleeveless blouse and brown ankle boots. She let her hair falls down in waves and her face in natural make-up accentuate her beauty. She has no idea why she wants to wear the skirt, though she knows the skirt is pretty on her.

She doesn't know if it is the soul mate inside of her talking or not, she doesn't even know if she believed that Damon is her soul mate, but she wants to know how he's doing everyday knowing he doesn't know anyone in this town. If any of the vampire movies that she has watched before were true, then who can guaranteed that there were no vampire hunter hunters who keep tabs on Damon? It's not like she wants him to be vulnerable and die without her knowing.

"Elena! Breakfast!" Jenna's voice snaps her out of her reverie then she grabs her backpack then walks down the stairs.

"I have cheese and broccoli omelet for you on the – what are you wearing?" Jenna startles as soon as she sees her niece in a girly attire. So not like her.

"What? You don't like it?" Elena looks at herself up and down suddenly feeling insecure and ugly.

"No, no, I love it," Jenna exclaims, "But you usually wear jeans and sneakers to school. What changed?"

"I just want to wear some things that you bought that I haven't had the chance to wear it," she shrugs, "Is this okay, though?"

"It is perfectly okay," Jenna beams, "I'll buy you more skirts and blouses on my home later, then."

"No, Jenna, it's fine," Elena blushes.

"Oh no worries, it's been a while since I go to Forever 21 at the mall," she waves, "I'll be home later than expected, though, maybe at 8 p.m or something. Or do you want to meet me at the mall so we can shop together?"

"No, thanks, I've got homework," Elena replies quietly. Well, she actually has an afternoon free, maybe she could ask Damon to hang out with her.

What?! What's wrong with her wanting Damon to be with her all the time?

"Okay. Eat your breakfast, honey."

They eat their omelets in silence for a few minutes. Halfway eating though, a loud honk comes from outside makes Jenna suddenly up on her feet and look through the window.

"What is it?" Elena approaches her aunt.

"That blue Camaro… is that Damon?"

True to her words, Damon strolls to the front door before knocking once then Jenna opens it up.

"Damon," she nods, "What are you doing here?"

"Elena asked me to pick her up since there is car trouble with her Prius. You about ready?" he tips his head to his soul mate.

Elena, slightly jaw dropped, gazes at his fine physique dressed in maroon Henley and dark jeans, "Wha—I'm… sure. Let me… grab my backpack."

She rushes to the kitchen then in a few seconds back to where Jenna is studying Damon curiously. Elena shoots her aunt an 'I'll tell you later' then practically drags Damon out of her front door.

As soon as they got into the car, Elena bursts out, "What the hell?! You can't just come and lie to my aunt."

"What, I'm just picking up my beautiful soul mate," he grins as he turns on the engine.

She shakes her head, ignoring his remarks, "Whose car is this?"

"Don't know, I borrowed it from some rentals two towns from here so they won't know for a while," he takes a rectangular piece of electronic from his pocket, "Also I got this… iPhone."

"You mean you stole both things?" Elena chimes sarcastically, leaning against the seat.

"I borrowed," Damon shrugs one of his shoulders.

After five minutes of silence, Elena notices something, "This is not the right way to school."

"We're not going to school," he simply says.

"What? No, no, no, _I'm_ going to school. Pull over, please."

Eventually he does what he asked but keep the doors locked, "Look, five minutes timeout is not going to be a problem, okay? I wanna show you something."

"I do not want to have a timeout," she grunts, "Open up, I need to go."

"Nope," he pops the P, "We are going somewhere. It's a surprise actually but you'll like it."

"Damon," she sighs in defeat, "I have school, and Jenna'll have my head if she knows I'm blowing it."

"Jenna won't know, trust me," he looks directly to her chocolate orbs and she can't say no to those crystalline beautiful blues.

"Fine, one day. But have me back to my house before eight," she crosses her arms on her chest, making Damon look away from the amount of cleavage she shows.

Damon starts the engine again before they continue their way to Damon's surprise place, "You look gorgeous, by the way. It's not like you don't look gorgeous everyday," he pronounces softly, looking at her stunning face then down to her long tan legs, "I like the skirt."

"Thanks," she blushes, hiding her face with her long hair.

" You're welcome, beautiful," he smiles genuinely before turns his focus on the road, "Just enjoy the ride."

* * *

 **I am on a roll you guys, I guess the good mood still left in me a bit. I'm going to see _Moana_ today which probably one of the reasons my good moods still hanging around.**

 **Anyway, so many hints here and there about what's gonna happen :P Like Alaric's freezer and Nadia Petrove, Elena's friend. And yes, I used _Tearin' Up My Heart_ by 'N SYNC because of Nina's latest instagram's story. Oh, she's such a wonderful dork, than Nina Dobrev.**

 **So do not forget to review and let me know what you think! I've been up since 5 a.m to write this for you *wink wink***

 **See ya later!**


	9. Chapter 9

**First of all, HELLO!**

 **Before you read this, I want to let you know that you are going to hate Caroline. Also, I do not support bullying, though it is needed to get to where we're going. Delena goodness in this chapter is a way to make it up to you guys. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9 (Day 5-Day 7)**

* * *

"Ugh, put something that I actually know," Elena groans when she hears melodies from the '50s.

"I happen to like rock music from the '50s," the dark-haired man next to her grumbles slightly.

"I am taken against my will this morning, the least you can do is let me pick the music playlist."

Damon seems to be okay when Elena shoots her hand toward to radio and searching for her songs. He keeps his sight on the open road but he can see from his peripheral how adorable her face is with her nose scrunches a little and she bites her lower lip, concentrates deeply.

"Here you go! Let me introduce you to the most talented and amazing singer-songwriter of 21st century…. Ed Sheeran!" she announces giddily, turning her head to face him with a big grin paints her face.

 _People fall in love in mysterious way, maybe it's all part of a plan…_

Damon purses his lips, listening to the lyrics, "Don't wanna make your head bigger than it already is, but it _is_ a good song."

"I know, right. Ed Sheeran is like one of my favorite artists and he knows exactly how to make girls swoon through his lyrics," she sighs softly, turning her head back to the open road before her.

"So," he starts talking again after the song ends, changing into upbeat and obnoxious rap song, "what else don't I know about you?"

Elena frowns slightly, thinking about things she is going to tell him, "Well, I love pancakes, it's too bad Jenna only makes it when she has a good mood. But don't tell her I said that. What else….? Oh! I keep a journal since I was in sixth grade, but don't you even try to find and read it, it is private. I also enjoy recent television shows, like _Once Upon a Time_ and _Reign_. Those are my favorites, but classic ones like _Full House_ and _The Golden Girls_ are my all-time favorites. And I – why are you looking at me like that? Keep your eyes on the road!"

Without her knowing, all the time when she was talking about herself, Damon was looking at her in awe. As if he was hanging onto every word she says. Damon keeps his electric blue eyes on her face with amused and captured face all over his.

"I like it when you talk," he simply says, "Sue me."

Elena's blushes crimson, suddenly she finds her shoes fascinating, "Don't you mean I'm annoying?"

"Who says that? You're not to _me_. I like listening to your voice."

"Oh, don't try to be cute," she dismisses him, "Are we there yet?"

He realizes that she tries to change the subject, so he lets it go, "Fifteen more minutes tops."

Silence fills the car, Elena doesn't like it. She likes it when Damon won't shut his mouth, and sue her, but _she_ also likes it when _he_ talks. His voice trumps all male singer voices and it is her favorite.

"So, what don't I know about you?"

"Well… you know nothing about me," he teases.

"Let's change that. I told you some things about me. It's only fair if you tell me some things about you," she states.

"Okay," he pretends to think for a while before he lists some things that he wants to share with his soul mate, "Bourbon is my drink of choice. I like nights better than mornings. I happen to also like pancakes especially when I add blueberries and whip cream. My best friend was my brother. I – "

"'Was'?" the brunette woman cut him off, "What do you mean 'was'?"

His face suddenly turns gloomy, and she can clearly see that he doesn't want to talk about him, but she wants to know. Call her nosy for all she cares.

"It means that he's not in the picture anymore."

"Is he…," Elena bites her lip, feeling bad about the next word she is about to throw, "Dead?"

"Yes," he admits quietly, "Can we not talk about it, please?"

Elena immediately feels bad for him, and without a second thought, she reaches out to touch his arm gently, squeezes it to remind him that it is okay to feel sad, "I'm sorry. For many things. For screaming when we first met, for forcing you to follow the rules I don't even follow, for making you remember possibly one of the many things that make you build up a wall," she lets out a soft sigh, before rubbing his arm up and down to soothe him, "And I'm sorry for ruining our five-minutes timeout."

Damon is speechless for the first time in years. This tiny, human girl has the ability to break him, crush him yet she also able to care for him and even apologize to him when he does not even deserve an apology for everything he had done in his previous lives.

He understands now. This is what soul mates do.

"Damon?"

Her voice breaks his trance, "Huh?"

"Have you not been listening to me?"

"I have. It's just… no one ever says 'sorry' to me. I guess that's because I don't deserve any. I have always been the one who _has_ to say sorry, and yet, I never did."

It is Elena's turn to be speechless. Just how many heartbreaks he has gotten and he has caused? she thought.

"Well, lives working both ways, since humans are social. Not that you're human, you're a vampire, but still. Sorry… I'm rambling," she blushes once again, earning his genuine smile.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For… being you."

* * *

"Welcome to the _Mystic Waterfalls_ ," Damon happily announces while Elena still trying to catch her breath after a mile of the hike.

The woman behind him looks up to find a beautiful waterfall with sky blue water falling above them. They are close enough to get splashes of water but Elena doesn't even mind. The exquisite view beat every single one of her imagination of a perfect waterfall. She notices it is a pretty long way to get to the bottom of the falls since they have been hiking for at least fifteen minutes. She would love to go swimming down there if she only brought her swimsuit. She looks around to find they are surrounded by colorful wild flowers, they even stand on a perfectly green grass.

"This is beautiful. How'd you… I've been living here for a couple years and I have never thought that Mystic Falls actually has _falls_."

"Well, it is pretty secluded. I guess no one ever dared to hike up here since they are very superstitious."

"Superstitious?"

"Most people believe a vampire clan living up here. At least that's the story when I last lived here.

She rolls her deep-brown eyes, "speaking of, how long ago was that?"

"Twenty-something years ago."

Damon backs away a little to open his backpack that turns out consist of a red plaid blanket, some paper bags with some _Mikaelson's Bakery_ on it, and four can of beers. First, he set the blanket neatly on the ground, signaling Elena to sit on it which she happily obliges since she's still tired from the hike. Then, he takes out various kinds of sandwiches, she spots a turkey sandwich; her favorite and put the beers on the blanket as well.

"Let's eat some lunch," Damon declares.

She gladly takes one turkey sandwich and bites them as if it was a Filet Mignon. She closes her eyes and moans slightly since _Mikaelson's Bakery_ is her favorite to get sandwiches. When she opens her eyes, she realizes Damon has been ogling her from head to toe but focuses on her lips.

"Quit eyeballing me!" she glares at him.

"Not my fault you make eating so hot," he simply says as he takes the chicken sandwich.

They eat in a comfortable silence, each savoring their respective meal. Elena finishes first, then grabs one of the beers then drinks it down slowly, "This is the best lunch ever."

"Apparently I still capable of making one hell of a date," he smirks proudly.

"Who says it's a date?" she narrows her eyes, looking ridiculously at the vampire.

"Did you not notice the foods and the drinks? Also, the scenery is to die for?"

"So, you forced me to skip school to what? To going on a date with you?" she scowls at him, putting down her drink.

"Don't be mad. You know you needed a day off. You've been doing schools all day, then homework all night."

"And that is what weekends are for," she exclaims.

"Weekend is a _day_ away. Besides, don't tell me you don't enjoy this," he challenges her.

She really wants to say that she does not enjoy it at all, but she has never been a good liar, "Alright, I admit, I enjoy this."

"So, this date is a success. You're welcome."

* * *

The next day rolls around quite fast. Elena just got out of the library at five thirty in the evening after she finished her research for her AP English class, she is walking towards the parking lot. She notices a couple of cars beside hers and one car parks all the way on the corner. She takes out her keys from her backpack, but before she reaches out the one thing she is looking for, a pair of hands shoot out at her and her body is slammed against her car.

"What the…? Caroline? What are you doing?" she frowns, feeling her back starting to hurt a bit since the impact of Caroline's push is pretty hard.

"Tell me, who was the guy yesterday and why did he want to _pretend_ to be your boyfriend? Did you bribe him or something? How much does it cost you to make him your boyfriend? You are one ugly creature and I believe no one would be brave enough to date a dreadful-looking girl like you," Caroline hisses, her two friends hanging beside her as they shoot Elena their best angry glare.

Elena, shocked to hear awful things anyone could ever say to her, stood there frozen, looking down at her shoes, willing to not let Caroline and her minions see her tears.

"Answer me, Elena Gilbert!" the blonde girl stomps her feet, earning a gasp from the brunette.

"Please, just leave me alone," Elena begs meekly.

"No can do. You seemed happy yesterday because of _Damon_. You do not deserve to be happy," she sneers.

"Please, I don't want any trouble," Elena whimpers, still looking down.

Caroline roughly takes her chin up so that they are face to face, "Aw, look at that girls. We made her cry," Caroline makes a face, mocking Elena.

Elena keeps quiet, tears running down her reddened face. She would like to say something, anything. But her mouth seems to have other option. Looks like her mouth is also scared of the queen bee.

"I notice you skipped yesterday and you chose to look less ugly by wearing a skirt, making all the guys looking hungrily at you. And I do not like it, do you hear me? Wear the ugliest clothes you have on Monday and the rest of the school year," Caroline barks, pointing at Elena's chest.

The Gilbert girl nodded weakly, looking at she can't do anything when it comes to her bullies.

* * *

Fortunately, Elena gets home before her aunt so that she doesn't have to explain to her why her eyes are puffy and red. She immediately goes upstairs, practically dragging her body to her bedroom. As soon as she gets into her personal sanctuary, she flips on the light, puts her backpack down to the floor and messily takes off her shoes.

"Hello."

She looks up to find Damon smirks, but instantly a concerned look take its place, "You scared me!"

Damon takes three big steps towards his beautiful soul mate who currently has red puffy eyes and reddened cheeks due to the crying she has been doing the whole way home. He reaches out to caress her right cheek and instinctively the girl leans in, "What happened?"

It feels as if the dam has broken because of Damon's question, she launches herself into Damon's warmth embrace, tears streaming down her face.

Damon, on the other hand, quite surprised but after a second, wrap his muscular arms, cocooning Elena, providing his shoulder for her to cry on. His left hand is currently running through her silky wavy chocolate hair, and his right hand is placed on her back, pulling her close. He whispers some sweet nothings by telling her 'it's okay' but it's only making her cry harder. After a while he stops saying anything, letting her cry freely.

Elena is the one who breaks the embrace but Damon pulls her closer than before, making her sure that there are only ten to twenty centimeters between their faces. Damon takes Elena's face in his hands, carefully wiping the remaining tears.

"Baby, are you okay?" Damon asks softly. He notices that Elena doesn't even realize his slip of tongue by calling her 'baby'.

Elena shakes her head 'no', "I had an awful day."

Damon leads her to the bed, with him sitting with his back on the headboard and his legs straight on the bed. He pulls her to his lap, silently grateful that she does not protest. Instead, she puts her head on his shoulder and it molds perfectly. She sniffles but feeling the warmth and comfort from Damon's hand running on her back to her shoulder repeatedly.

"Want to talk about it?" Damon pops the silent after what it seems like an hour.

He feels her head readjusting and she gets closer in his lap, he just prays that she wouldn't feel his hard-on right now.

"It's Caroline," her voice changes slightly due to her full-on crying a while ago, "She asked how much do I pay you to be my boyfriend since I'm so ugly and dreadful-looking no guy would be bold enough to date me."

His jaw clenches. Elena Gilbert is far from ugly.

"No, baby, no," he takes her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him, "I told you before that you are the most beautiful woman I've ever met in my lifetimes, right? I wasn't joking back then, and I'm sure as hell still stands by what I said. You are stunning, gorgeous, lovely, and I'll throw all adjectives if only I knew more."

Elena lets out a small giggle, "But she's right. I've been wearing skirt making me look desperate and uglier."

He curses the blonde bitch in his head loudly, "Elena, look at me," she follows his order, "The girl who told you you're ugly feels threatened by your beauty. She's just jealous that all the guys attracted to you while she stands alone outside at the curb. Though I approve what other guys think of you, I still don't like them ogling you," he adds, pouting like a five-year-old.

Elena chuckles, "Thanks, Damon. You really know how to make me feel better."

"And don't you ever listen to her, please. Wear whatever you like to wear. You are beautiful in everything. Remember that," Damon demands.

They spend a couple hours in each other embrace. Damon wouldn't dare to ask about her sudden affections, afraid she will let go because little does she knows, he _loves_ having her in his arms.

* * *

Damon walks out of his bedroom, freshly showered, fully clothed in his deep red Henley shirt and black jeans. He goes downstairs to find Alaric making a cheese omelet. A plate of the egg has been finished and ready to eat on the dining table along with the freshly squeezed orange juice.

"Morning. Help yourself," Alaric calls out without turning his focus on his omelet.

Damon sits in front of his omelet, eating it and tasting the sweet and salty taste of the egg. After a minute, his new roommate sits in front of him, eating his own breakfast.

"So, where were you last night? I don't recall you coming home after I turn in at eleven," Alaric starts the conversation, hoping Damon would open up to him a bit more.

"Gee, _wifey_ , I didn't realize I have to tell you my whereabouts," Damon smiles tightly.

He scowls slightly, "I'm just saying, that I haven't given you the spare keys yet that I'm afraid you couldn't get in."

"I was staying at a friend's place," he lies easily when the truth is he jumped from the ground to his bedroom through the window but he isn't about to tell him.

"Well," Alaric reaches down to his jeans pocket, retrieving a set of keys then put it on the table, "here you go."

They fall into an awkward silence. Only snaps from their respective thoughts when Damon's phone beeps. He takes out his stolen iPhone and read the text he has just gotten.

 _Elena G: Morning! Need help in doing my math homework, again! Could you be a dear and help me, please? *wink wink*_

Flirting! Elena Gilbert is flirting with him and he feels like a virgin teenager all over again. With a silly smile, he replies.

 _Damon S: And what will I get in return?_

 _Elena G: A chance to be with your soul mate for a whole day is not good enough for you?!_

She adds an angry emoticon, making him smiles a little wider than it already is.

 _Damon G: Fine, fine, don't get your panties in a twist. Be there in 20._

"So, was that your girlfriend?"

Alaric's coy smile and the question get Damon stand up in less than three seconds. His roommate's laughter can be heard throughout the house.

* * *

 **NINA IS BACK I CANT CALM THE HELL DOWN IT MEANS WE WILL GET OUR BABIES BACK IN LESS THAN TWO MONTHS I AM SO HAPPY ARE YOU GUYS HAPPY**

 **So, what did you think? Don't forget to let me know your thoughts!**

 **Also, wish me luck for my proposal presentation tomorrow? ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 (Day 7-Day 9)**

* * *

"Your hero has arrived," Damon announces his presence as he lands gracefully from the window to the plush carpet of Elena's bedroom floor.

The Gilbert girl is currently laying on her stomach in her jean shorts and pale pink shirt with her laptop and Idina Menzel's singing voice can be heard in the background.

"Hey."

Damon strides to the foot of the bed, frowning slightly, "'Hey'? just 'hey'?"

"Shh… I'm watching a movie here," Elena put her forefinger in front of her naturally pink lips.

Damon slightly pouts, feeling ignored and neglected. He walks toward the bed, sits next to her, copies her by laying on his stomach next to her. "Is that cartoon?" he whispers.

"It's _Frozen_ ," she pauses the movie, with an amused look on her face looking at him, "It's _animation_."

He mumbles about how there is no difference between cartoon and animation while Elena unpauses the movie, continuing her activity, completely ignoring Damon. A couple hours later, Elena smiles to herself, turning off her laptop. She finally notices Damon, with his head on his arms on the bed, apparently sleeping. Elena's grin grows bigger it almost hurts her cheeks.

He looks adorable when he's sleeping.

"Damon?" she pokes his cheek. His response is a low growl making Elena chuckles.

She repeats her action twice until he opens his beautiful baby blues, forming a scowl on his pink lips, "Are you done poking me?"

"Yep. Can we do my homework now?" she asks as she grabs her backpack to take out her notebook.

"You paid no attention to me, choosing a _cartoon_ movie over me, and now you want my help?" he grumbles.

"Oh, please," she rolls her eyes, "You were late so I decided to watch a movie."

"I was only ten minutes late." He exclaims, turning to his side.

"Whatever." She waves her right hand, overlooking Damon's exclamation. "Now, do you understand this?" she points out page 38 in her math book.

"Ugh, you should be very thankful to have a smart and understanding soul mate," he states dramatically before he grabs the book out of her hand and starts scanning the page.

An hour and four pieces of Twinkies later, they have finished her homework. Damon, as usual, lays on his back with Elena's little teddy bear on his stomach. The brown-eyed girl is putting the books back to her backpack, shaking her head towards the obsession Damon has for her bear.

"So," Damon starts, "How are you feeling? Do you feel any better? You know, about that witch, _Caroline Forbes_?"

"Who?"

"The girl who made you cry," he frowns slightly, oblivious to the fact that Elena doesn't want to talk about it.

"M' kay," she mumbles as she hops on the bed beside him, reaching for her bear and snuggle it.

"Really okay?"

"Yes, and I would be very glad it if we talk about anything else besides that."

Suddenly, Damon feeling annoyed. How dare she dismissed him like that after she practically crying on his shoulder, making his lap as a perfect cushion for her butt, then ignoring him like that? He angrily thought. He had assumed that she will be willing to open up more to him seeing as their relationship has escalated due to the Caroline problem. He was basically acted like a perfect boyfriend to her when she was down and sad. Never in his lifetimes has he felt unappreciated before, and by a tiny human girl nonetheless.

"Fine."

He stands up then out the window in a second leaving Elena dumbfounded.

* * *

"Hey, sweetie," Jenna calls as she's busy putting the grocery she has bought in the pantry.

"Hi," Elena replies, keeps her eyes on her fiddling thumb, still trying to process what was actually Damon's problem.

They go silent, taking care of each others' business before Jenna realizes that her niece has a quiet permanent frown on her forehead.

"You okay?"

Elena seems lost in her own little world until Jenna touches her hand on the kitchen island. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not. Wanna tell me what happened?" Jenna asks softly.

"Nah, I'm good," she fakes a smile, knowing Jenna wouldn't understand. Moreover, she can't tell her aunt that her head's now filled with the thought of the vampire that was earlier in her room.

"Is it school again? Maybe something that starts with 'C' and ends with 'Aroline'?" Jenna pushes.

Elena goes quiet for a couple seconds before she nods, "No problem, actually. She keeps annoying me, but nothing I can handle.

"Elena," Jenna sighs, Elena realizes her aunt going into her parent mode, "If she gets too much you can report her to the principal or I can talk to her mother. Seriously, she thinks that she's the sheriff's daughter and she can treat people like trash."

"I don't wanna make a big deal out of it, Aunt Jenna," she retorts. "Besides, like I said, nothing I can handle."

Jenna bites her lip, pondering over the words her niece has said. "'Lena, I want you to open up a bit more, do you understand that, right? You're my family for God's sakes. I care about you so much."

Elena lets out a heavy breath, "I know, and I love you for that. It's just… I talked to a friend about it. I just don't talk to you because you have too much on your plate already."

"Okay, at least you talked to a friend. Then Rebekah knows about it, right?"

The younger woman straightens up a bit, "It's not Rebekah."

"Oh," her aunt's mouth forms a perfect 'O', "then who is it?"

"Just a friend," she answers, "Anyway, that friend actually kind of weird lately."

"Weird how? Is that friend a boy?"

"Um… yeah, he's a guy."

"Okay, go on."

"Look, you know that I don't talk much about my problems, right? So, yesterday he was here, we talked in the living room," she lies easily, "I told him what's been going on in school with Caroline and he sort of helped me. He has seen me at my worst and he was there, you know? And today, when I started to feel better, he brought it up again and I kind of… change the subject. Then, he just left."

"Hmm…," Jenna frowns, looking up at the ceilings, "I think… he's mad because he cares. Like, when I share my deepest, darkest problem that's been burdened me to Ric, then he asks again whether I've been feeling better or not the next day, I really want to dismiss him, but I know that he still worries about me. Do you know what I mean? It's like, he still worries even when I'm already feeling better."

Elena thinks about what her aunt has said. No way is Damon really concerned about me, she thought. The Damon she knows, well, since a week ago, is a narcissistic vampire who only cares about himself and feeding off Elena helplessness to feed his ego. He is a flirt and he thinks he's a God's girl to the world.

"You think so?"

"Well, I could be wrong. But, I was just talking from experience so I think I could be right," she throws her grin toward Elena's way, "Anyway, don't overthink too much, okay? And get some rest, you study too much. Night, honey."

And with that, once again, Elena is left alone with her thoughts.

* * *

On Sunday morning Elena goes on her running weekend routine. She has woken up long before her alarm goes off, put her hair in a high ponytail, then has grabbed her iPod and out of the house in a minute. She has finished her long showers two hours ago, and still nothing from Damon.

No texts. No calls. Not even scaring her by showing up in front of her out of nowhere.

She has to admit, she misses him.

She missed his stupid smirks. She misses his big ego. Hell, she even misses the way he smells; manly and just uniquely Damon.

She sighs, rolling around her bed with her phone attach to her hand, waiting for Damon to call her. Or just text her telling her he's okay or that he's coming over.

"Fine, if you don't wanna talk, then don't!" she throws her phone on the other side of the bed.

She huffs then goes downstairs, leaving the useless electronic object on her bed.

"Aunt Jenna!" she calls out as she walks to the kitchen.

"Hey, would you like some BLT?"

"No, thanks. Can I get Alaric's address?"

"Huh?" Jenna knits her eyebrows, "what for?"

"To knock some sense into a stubborn person," Elena grumbles.

"Excuse me?"

"Just… can I have it or not?" she asks, running out of patience

The older woman's eyebrows shoot up, seeing this side of Elena for the first time. She knows Elena is not a nosy person, "Wait a second."

She pulls out a paper and pen from a drawer, writes down some address then give it to her niece.

"Thanks, be back later." Then she goes out of the kitchen, runs upstairs to change into some jeans and t-shirt, grabs her car keys and rushes downstairs again and out the door all in five minutes.

* * *

"Hi, Ric." Elena smiles, waving her right hand happily, "Is Damon here?"

Alaric, surprised look clearly shown on his face, has eyes as big as a saucer, "Elena! Hey. Uh... Damon?"

"Yeah, he lives here, isn't he?"

"He is, but he doesn't come home since yesterday, though. I don't know where he is, I assumed he's in his friend's house or something."

"Friend?" Damon doesn't have any friends and she is certain of it.

"Yeah… I guess. Do you need anything with Damon? You can leave a message."

"Um… no, I think I'll come by later. Or call him. Uh… thanks, Ric."

She leaves Ric's small house, cruising down Mystic Falls downtown. Where could Damon be? She asks herself.

She decides to but some lunch at Rebekah's bakery when her stomach starting to rumble. She parks right in front of Rebekah's black Sedan then gets out of the car, locks the car before she goes into the bakery. She sees her friend's back, it seems like she is talking to someone behind the register.

She walks to the counter, few feet away from Rebekah and her friend, "Hey, Bex."

The blonde girl turns around, reveals who's been talking to her.

Damon.

Still in yesterday's clothes.

What the hell?!

* * *

 **Troubles in paradise already...**

 **Next chapter I will probably write in Damon's perspective, how Elena dismissed him when he really wanted to know how she was doing after that Caroline debacle.**

 **Drop a review, let me know what you think?**

 **Have a nice weekend! xo**


	11. Chapter 11

**In the spirit of TVD Wrap Party, I present to you chapter 11 of CTM. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 11 (Day 9-Day 10)**

* * *

Damon drives away from Gilbert's residence up to 120km/hour. He does not care where he is going nor does he care about getting into an accident due to the speed. All he can think about is how dare Elena treats him like a piece of shit. Like he does not even matter to her, not one bit. He realizes now that Elena has been a big part of his _new_ life, a life that he does not even know would last. He is used to her presence, her laughter, even her snickers when he gets too much annoying or arrogant for her taste. And all she repays him is nothing. Not even a 'thank you' or 'I'm sorry for making you my makeshift friend when I'm in need'. If he was being honest, he does not care about not getting a 'thank you', he would be so comfortable if she just answered with 'I'm fine, Damon'. But no, she just has to go and ruin his mood. She has practically ruined his chance to be…

Anyway, as Damon drives away, he realizes he is getting closer to the Mystic Falls' welcome sign, which means he has been driving for at least an hour, with that kind of speed he is not surprised. He decides to go to Georgia. Yes, three-hour trip Georgia, but he is certain he would get to his destination in under an hour. He speeds up more, hoping his _friend_ is still alive.

* * *

"Hi, Bree," he smirks as he face to face with a brown-skinned middle-aged woman with curly hair, with an empty tray in her hand.

"Damon Salvatore?" she whispers. "I thought you were dead!"

Damon jumps on one of the stools, flashes her a grin. Thankful that his former friend has apparently still alive after twenty years, "I came back."

He notices some people are already leaving since it was close to three a.m. in the morning. Only some drunken girl and her two friends helping her out the door and a couple of guys on the pool ready to go home.

She chuckles, "Bourbon coming up, then."

She goes to the bar, doing her thing then a minute later, a glass of her finest bourbon is served in front of him, "I missed you, Bree."

"Oh, don't you go 'I missed you, Bree' to me, you jerk. You were lying to me," she snorts, "You told me you were going to take off your ring, I could do nothing to stop you, you said. And now here you are, fine as hell and drinking free bourbon."

"I was not lying when I said I'm gonna die," he sips his bourbon, letting the cool liquid burning his throat, "I came back," he repeats.

"What do you mean you came back? How is that even possible?"

"Ever heard about soul mate? The one mantra in your grimoire to call your soul mate even when he or she is already dead and you only got –"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. So?" she asks curiously.

"I got lucky and got called back," he winks at her, knowing she would not believe him.

"What? You're not shitting me right now, right?"

"Nope," he pops the 'p', "I am very serious."

"But then, you only got–"

"A month, I know," he drinks his bourbon, put it back down, narrows his eyes as if he was thinking hard, "I… I actually like her."

"The one who called you?"

"She's… amazing. She's kind, she's funny, she's smart but she's fierce but at the same time she seems like a lost little girl and she's scared. She doesn't even have many friends. But she's willing to put everyone she loves before herself no matter what. She's very selfless and she deserves better than me, I know. But," he pauses, picturing Elena's smile in his mind, "I like her, Bree."

"Wow," she sighs dreamily, "Never thought I'd see the day Damon Salvatore's in love."

"Not love," _yet_ , "but she's very different than –"

"Katherine, I know. While Katherine Pierce is a conniving little bitch, here you are destined to be with the very opposite of her."

He nods, agreeing with her with the comment regarding his ex-girlfriend who has been dead for thirty years. "I need to make her fall in love with me in three short weeks."

"That's never failed before. Girls always falling at your feet, worshiping the ground you walk on."

"Except you," he smiles.

"Except me. I love your _fangirls_ more than I love you," she winks, earning a genuine laugh from him. "So what's the problem with this girl then?"

"She's… very closed off. She doesn't want to tell me anything about her personal life, though I'm certain it has to do with her not living with her parents. She lives with her aunt, so I can safely say that her parents have passed. That's the thing, though; she doesn't want to open up. She doesn't want to let me in."

"So, something happened with her parents and she doesn't want to entrust you with something so personal. You can always compel her to tell you or even better, you can compel her to fall in love with you," she shrugs.

"It wouldn't work. I tried compelling her once to tell me she loved me but she wouldn't budge. I guess the universe wants me to have her heart by doing it right," he whines, getting impatient about Elena.

"So, what are you gonna do about it?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Damon is parking his car not too far away from the bakery he had been in before. Apparently, Elena's friend is the lovely Rebekah with the delicious red liquid running through her veins, which he has been acquainted before. It is only eight forty-five and he needs blood. Stat.

"Hello, Rebekah," he greets as soon as he steps into the bakery. There are only two people inside, eating their scones and drink their coffees.

"Damon?" she frowns, "Hey, what can I get you?"

Damon walks until only a counter separating them, he compels her, "Follow me to the back."

She smiles, going to the back where it is employees only can get in. Damon closes the door, feeling a bit careless as he sinks his canines into her long neck. As soon as the canines pierce her skin, Damon's left hand goes up to close her mouth, not allowing her voice to be heard by anyone. As soon as his stomach full, after five more sips, he lets go as he soon holding Rebekah who will likely to pass out soon.

"Shit."

He tears open his wrist, shove it harshly to the woman's mouth and let her have a couple sips of his blood before he roughly lets it go, "Now, act natural, forget we have been here. You only know that I'm here to buy coffee."

As soon as they come back inside and behind the register, she smiles, "I'll get your coffee right away."

Before she goes to get a coffee, a surprised voice from behind the counter shriek.

Elena.

* * *

Sitting in _Mikaelson's Bakery_ is not where Elena has imagined speaking to Damon at. But here they are, sitting face to face with steaming black coffee in front of him and cold cappuccino in hers.

"What are you doing here?" Elena starts up the conversation, hoping they would move their conversation elsewhere soon.

"Getting a coffee."

"Why didn't you call me? Or text if it's troubling you so much," she glares.

"Who do think you are to know every little thing that I do?" Damon raises an eyebrow, challenging her.

She huffs, "You stormed out of my house yesterday without so much as a glance and you expect me to be okay with that?"

"You don't have to be okay with that, I just need you to make up your mind," he hisses, getting very annoyed that she cannot take a hint.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she feels offended, yet she knows exactly what he means.

"You know, I just don't get you, Elena. First, you want me here, then you don't wanna talk to me. Then you text me to come and I did, then you ignore me when I'm trying to help you. I cannot read your mind, you have to spell it out for me," he barks, earning a death glare from her yet he can see he has terrified him and he feels a little guilty for it.

"Don't make a scene. Let's talk in private."

She stands up, looking at him still sitting comfortably in his seat, "Why not here? Where everyone can see how immature you are."

She flashes him a dirty look before she sits back down, "Look," she takes a deep breath, "I am sorry for… everything."

His eyes go wide, shock is painted all over his face, "You don't even know what you did wrong, do you?"

"I'm…," she sighs in defeat, finally decides to let Damon know that she is really sorry, "I understand that I seemed to not appreciate your help the other day. It's just… it's so hard for me to open up to people, you know? After my parents…" she trails off, not ready to bring up the past.

His eyes softened, making his soul mate unhappy is not in his intentions at all, "Hey," he reaches out to caress her hand on the table, "What are you so afraid of?"

"Can we just go back to my house, please? I'll explain everything, I promise," she begs quietly, looking down at his thumb caressing her hand in a soothing and caring manner.

* * *

As soon as they are safe inside Elena's bedroom, she locks her door afraid that Jenna might barge in. She turns around to find Damon seems out of place like he does not know if she was standing in the right spot or not. She does not like it one bit. He is used to considering her room as his.

"Relax, Damon," she says, throwing her keys on the vanity table, "I'm not gonna bite."

"But I will if you do not start at somewhere," he mumbles leaving Elena giggle.

She sits down at the edge of the bed, signaling Damon to sit next to her which he obliges rather quickly but still save some distance between them, "I guess I'll start with I'm sorry. I talked to Jenna yesterday and I understand why you did what you did. I just… it feels weird for me to let people in, you know that. And when you actually asked whether I'm okay or not, I shut you out because I… I didn't know how to be open again to someone. You understand, right?" she looks at him with her puppy eyes which like it or not, it makes Damon's icy heart thawed.

He looks directly into her pool of brown eyes, realizes that she sincerely wants to apologize to him makes him wonder _, do I really deserve this girl?_

"I do, I understand," he starts, "I'm sorry too. To storm out like that without explanation was an impulsive decision, but you know me, I'm an impulsive, arrogant, cocky, good-looking vampire," he earns a giggle from her and it feels so good to hear it.

"Can we just start over? I promised to tell you everything."

"Sure."

He flashes her a grin and without a second thought jumps on the bed, stretch out his legs and lean on the headboard. She does the same, as their shoulders touching one another.

"My parents died in a car crash three years ago when I was fifteen. I was in my friend's, Bonnie, house that day. Long story short, Jenna became my guardian and we moved here," she sighs softly, willing to not cry about the accident for a hundred times, "I started avoiding my friends, even Jenna. I just wanted to be alone. I know that there were people who cared about me but… after my parents died I just… I felt my life has ended as well."

He extends his arms subconsciously toward the back of her head and rests it on her shoulder as he pulls her closer, wanting her to continue as she shifts so that their thigh are touching, "And then you came. Confessed that you are my soul mate, and we became… friends. I just feel like, somehow, I started to live again. I feel alive when you're here, talking to me, challenging me. I guess I'm just not familiar with that kind of feeling anymore."

A minute passes; they still fall deep in silence. Damon, pondering about what she has said, while Elena is thinking about how Damon would react.

"You know what I think?"

She looks up to face his crystalline blue eyes looking straight at her, "What?" she suddenly feels breathless.

"I think you are the bravest and the strongest person I've ever met."

* * *

"Damon? What are you doing here?"

Elena asks, a bit baffled when she sees her vampire soul mate leaning casually into his Camaro just in black jeans and black t-shirt, as usual.

He smirks, walking towards where Elena stands as she notices all around her where all the kids are watching them with curious eyes. "Picking you up, of course. What do you say we stop by your house, get in my car then some early dinner?"

She muses, "Best idea of the day."

She starts walking to her car when he grabs her arm softly, "I'd like to meet that girl Caroline first."

"But…"

Damon ignores her as he practically drags her to the open field where Caroline and her gang practice their cheerleader routine. Caroline's perfect face lights up when she sees Damon, but immediately turns sour when she spots Elena, ducking her head down as if she was embarrassed.

"Caroline," Damon calls, making Caroline running a little toward the pair with big smile, "How are you?"

"Hey, Damon," she greets happily, "Elena," she smiles tightly.

"I just want to let you know that somehow I think that this fake nice attitude shows when a handsome man comes."

The cheerleader drops her smile turning it into a frown, "Excuse me?"

Damon steps closer, leaving Elena behind him a few feet away, to Caroline so that they are literally nose to nose, "I would really appreciate it if you just shut up and leave Elena alone," he hisses, "And just so you know, Elena is the most beautiful girl inside and out, unlike you."

Caroline gapes like a fish out of the water, not knowing how to respond, "What… What do –"

"Nice meeting you, _Blondie_!"

Damon takes Elena's hand, entwining with his and dash out of the football field with laughter.

* * *

 **So I spent my Sunday writing this and occasionally crying because of the wrap party and we didn't even get the trio photo :( Life sucks sometimes.**

 **Anyway, let me know what you think?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 11 (Day 9-Day 10)  
**

* * *

Damon drives away from the Gilbert's residence up to 120km/hour. He does not care where he is going nor does he care about getting into an accident due to the speed. All he can think about is how dare Elena treats him like a piece of shit. Like he does not even matter to her, not one bit. He realizes now that Elena has been a big part of his _new_ life, a life that he does not even know would last. He is used to her presence, her laughter, even her snickers when he gets too much annoying or arrogant for her taste. And all she repays him is nothing. Not even a 'thank you' or 'I'm sorry for making you my makeshift friend when I'm in need'. If he was being honest, he does not care about not getting a 'thank you', he would be so comfortable if she was just answer 'I'm fine, Damon'. But no, she just has to go and ruin his mood. She has practically ruined his chance to be…

Anyway, as Damon drives away, he realizes he is getting closer to the Mystic Falls' welcome sigh, which means he has been driving for at least an hour, with that kind of speed he is not surprised. He decides to go to Georgia. Yes, three-hour trip Georgia, but he is certain he would get to his destination in under an hour. He speeds up more, hoping his friend is still alive.

* * *

"Hi, Bree," he smirks as he face to face with a brown-skinned middle aged woman with curly hair, with an empty tray in her hand.

"Damon Salvatore?" she whispers. "I thought you were dead!"

Damon jumps on one of the stools, flashes her a grin. Thankful that his former friend has apparently still alive after twenty years, "I came back."

He notices some people are already leaving since it was close to three a.m in the morning. Only some drunken girl and her two friends helping her out the door and a couple of guys on the pool ready to go home.

She chuckles, "Bourbon coming up, then."

She goes to the bar, doing her thing then a minute later, a glass of her finest bourbon is served in front of him, "I missed you, Bree."

"Oh, don't you go 'I missed you, Bree' to me, you jerk. You were lying to me," she snorts, "You told me you were going to take off your ring, I could do nothing to stop you, you said. And now here you are, fine as hell and drinking free bourbon."

"I was not lying when I said I'm gonna die," he sips his bourbon, letting the cool liquid burning his throat, "I came back," he repeats.

"What do you mean you came back? How is that even possible?"

"Ever heard about soul mate? The one mantra in your grimoire to call your soul mate even when he or she is already dead and you only got –"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. So?" she asks curiously.

"I got lucky and got called back," he winks at her, knowing she would not believe him.

"What? You're not shitting me right now, right?"

"Nope," he pops the 'p', "I am very serious."

"But then, you only got–"

"A month, I know," he drinks his bourbon, put it back down, narrows his eyes as if he was thinking hard, "I… I actually like her."

"The one who called you?"

"She's… amazing. She's kind, she's funny, she's smart but she's fierce but at the same time she seems like a lost girl and she's scared. She doesn't even have many friends. But she's willing to put everyone she loves before her no matter what. She's very selfless and she deserves better than me, I know. But," he pauses, picturing Elena's smile in his mind, "I like her, Bree."

"Wow," she sighs dreamily, "Never thought I'd see the day Damon Salvatore's in love."

"Not love," _yet_ , "but she's very different than –"

"Katherine, I know. While Katherine Pierce is a conniving little bitch, here you are destined to be with the very opposite of her."

He nods, agreeing with her with the comment regarding his ex-girlfriend who has been dead for thirty years. "I need to make her fall in love with me in three short weeks."

"That's never failed before. Girls always falling at your feet, worshiping the ground you walk on."

"Except you," he smiles.

"Except me. I love your _fangirls_ more than I love you," she winks, earning a genuine laugh from him. "So what's the problem with this girl then?"

"She's… very closed off. She doesn't want to tell me anything about her personal life, though I'm certain it has to do with her not living with her parents. She lives with her aunt, so I can safely say that her parents may have passed. That's the thing though; she doesn't want to open up. She doesn't want to let me in."

"So, something happened with her parents and she doesn't want to entrust you with something so personal. You can always compel her to tell you or even better, you can compel her to fall in love with you," she shrugs.

"It wouldn't work. I tried compelling her once to tell me she loved me but she wouldn't budge. I guess the universe wants me to have her heart by doing it right," he whines, getting impatient about Elena.

"So, what are you gonna do about it?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Damon is parking his car not too far away from the bakery he had been in before. Apparently, Elena's friend is the lovely Rebekah with the delicious red liquid running through her veins, which he has been acquainted before. It is only eight forty-five and he needs blood. Stat.

"Hello, Rebekah," he greets as soon as he steps into the bakery. There are only two people inside, eating their scones and drink their coffees.

"Damon?" she frowns, "Hey, what can I get you?"

Damon walks until only a counter separating them, he compels her, "Follow me to the back."

She smiles, going to the back where it is employees only can get in. Damon closes the door, feeling a bit careless as he sinks his canines into her long neck. As soon as the canines pierce her skin, Damon's left hand goes up to close her mouth, not allowing her voice to be heard by anyone. As soon as his stomach full, after four more sips, he lets go as he soon holding Rebekah who will likely to pass out soon.

"Shit."

He tears open his wrist, shove it harshly to the woman's mouth and let her have a couple sips of his blood before he roughly lets it go, "Now, act natural, forget we have been here. You only know that I'm here to buy coffee.

As soon as they come back inside and behind the register, she smiles, "I'll get your coffee right away."

Before she goes to get a coffee, a surprised voice from behind the counter shriek.

Elena.

* * *

Sitting in _Mikaelson's Bakery_ is not how Elena has imagined speaking to Damon at. But here they are, sitting face to face with steaming black coffee in front of him and cold cappuccino in hers.

"What are you doing here?" Elena starts up the conversation, hoping they would move their conversation elsewhere soon.

"Getting a coffee."

"Why didn't you call me? Or text if it's troubles you so much," she glares.

"Who do think you are to know every little thing that I do?" Damon raises an eyebrow, challenging her.

She huffs, "You stormed out of my house yesterday without so much as a glance and you expect me to be okay with that?"

"You don't have to be okay with that, I just need you to make up your mind," he hisses, getting very annoyed that she cannot take a hint.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she feels offended, yet she knows exactly what he means.

"You know, I just don't get you, Elena. First, you want me here, then you don't wanna talk to me. Then you text me to come and I did, then you ignore me when I'm trying to help you. I cannot read your mind, you have to spell it out for me," he barks, earning a death glare from her yet he can see he has terrified him and he feels a little guilty for it.

"Don't make a scene. Let's talk in private."

She stands up, looking at him still sitting comfortably in his seat, "Why not here? Where everyone can see how immature you are."

She flashes him a dirty look before she sits back down, "Look," she takes a deep breath, "I am sorry for… everything."

His eyes go wide, shock is painted all over his face, "You don't even know what you did wrong, do you?"

"I'm…," she sighs in defeat, finally decides to let Damon know that she is really sorry, "I understand that I seemed to not appreciate your help the other day. It's just… it's so hard for me to open up to people, you know? After my parents…" she trails off, not ready to bring up the past.

His eyes softened, making his soul mate unhappy is not in his intentions at all, "Hey," he reaches out to caress her hand on the table, "What are you so afraid of?"

"Can we just go back to my house, please? I'll explain everything, I promise," she begs quietly, looking down at his thumb caressing her hand in a soothing and caring manner.

* * *

As soon as they are safe inside Elena's bedroom, she locks her door afraid that Jenna might barge in. She turns around to find Damon seems out of place, like he does not know if she was standing in the right spot or not. She does not like it one bit. He is used to consider her room as his.

"Relax, Damon," she says, throwing her keys on the vanity table, "I'm not gonna bite."

"But I will, if you're not start at somewhere," he mumbles leaving Elena giggle.

She sits down at the edge of the bed, signaling Damon to sit next to her which he obliges rather quickly but still save some distance between them, "I guess I'll start with I'm sorry. I talked to Jenna yesterday and I understand why you did what you did. I just… it feels weird for me to let people in, you know that. And when you actually asked whether I'm okay or not, I shut you out because I… I didn't know how to be open again to someone. You understand, right?" she looks at him with her puppy eyes which like it or not, it makes Damon's icy heart thawed.

He looks directly into her pool of brown eyes, realizes that she is sincerely wants to apologize to him makes him wonder _, do I really deserve this girl?_

"I do, I understand," he starts, "I'm sorry too. To storm out like that without explanation was an impulsive decision, but you know me, I'm an impulsive, arrogant, cocky, good-looking vampire," he earns a giggle from her and it feels so good to hear it.

"Can we just start over? I promised to tell you everything."

"Sure."

He flashes her a grin and without a second thought jumps on the bed, stretch out his legs and lean on the headboard. She does the same, as their shoulders touching one another.

"My parents died on a car crash three years ago when I was fifteen. I was in my friend's, Bonnie, house that day. Long story short, Jenna became my guardian and we moved here," she sighs softly, willing to not cry about the accident for a hundred times, "I started avoiding my friends, even Jenna. I just wanted to be alone. I know that there were people who cared about me but… after my parents died I just… I felt my life has ended as well."

He extends his arms subconsciously toward the back of her head and rests it on her shoulder as he pulls her closer, wanting her to continue as she shifts so that their thigh are touching, "And then you came. Confessed that you are my soul mate, and we became… friends. I just feel like, somehow, I started to live again. I feel more alive when you're here, talking to me, challenging me. I guess I'm just not familiar with that kind of feeling anymore."

A minute passes; they still fall deep in silence. Damon, pondering about what she has said, while Elena is thinking about how Damon would react.

"You know what I think?"

She looks up to face his crystalline blue eyes looking straight at her, "What?" she suddenly feels breathless.

"I think you are the bravest and the strongest person I've ever met."

* * *

"Damon? What are you doing here?"

Elena asks, a bit baffled when she sees her vampire soul mate leaning casually into his Camaro just in black jeans and black t-shirt, as usual.

He smirks, walking towards where Elena stands as she notices all around her where all the kids are watching them with curious eyes. "Picking you up, of course. What do you say we stop by your house, get in my car then some early dinner?"

She muses, "Best idea of the day."

She starts walking to her car when he grabs her arm softly, "I'd like to meet that girl Caroline first."

"But…"

Damon ignores her as he practically drags her to the open field where Caroline and her gang practice their cheerleader routine. Caroline's perfect face lights up when she sees Damon, but immediately turns sour when she spots Elena, ducking her head down as if she was embarrassed.

"Caroline," Damon calls, making Caroline running a little toward the pair with big smile, "How are you?"

"Hey, Damon," she greets happily, "Elena," she smiles tightly.

"I just want to let you know that somehow I think that this fake nice attitude shows when a handsome man comes."

The cheerleader drops her smile turning it into a frown, "Excuse me?"

Damon steps closer, leaving Elena behind him a few feet away, to Caroline so that they are literally nose to nose, "I would really appreciate it if you just shut up and leave Elena alone," he hisses, "And just so you know, Elena is the most beautiful girl inside and out, unlike you."

Caroline gapes, not knowing how to respond, "What… What do –"

"Nice meeting you, _Blondie_!"

Damon takes Elena's hand, entwining with his and dash out of the football field with laughter.

* * *

"So, where are we going?" Elena asks.

She is wearing one of the new dresses Jenna has bought for her a couple of days ago. She has chosen a navy knee length dress with lace long sleeves for her second date with Damon today.

 _Date?_

Does she want this to be a date?

"A little Italian joint I've just found out. _Romeo's_. Been there?"

"In case you forgot, my social life is not that crowded I don't even know all of my neighbors names," she reminds him.

"Well, you are in for a treat, then. This app, _Yelp_ , says that Romeo's is one of the most well-known Italian restaurants in Virginia."

"Wow," she muses, half mocking him, "A few days with an iPhone and you already acquaintance with _Yelp_."

"Yes, I've also been introduced to _Spotify_ , that guessing game _Heads Up_ , and _Instagram_ ," he chooses to ignore her insult remarks, throwing a smirk toward her way.

"Congrats, you're a hipster now."

"Now, you're really insulting me. Don't you remember that I was dead for the past twenty years?"

"That kind of reminds me," she gasps slightly, "How and why did you commit suicide? It is a suicide, right? You're not murdered or anything?"

"That heavy talk deserves alcohol drink. Besides, here we are."

Damon parks the car not too far away from the entryway of the restaurant. It is a modest Italian restaurant with its bright modest banner out front. It is pretty cozy from outside, Elena decides. Damon opens his door first, and when she comes to open hers, it is ripped out slowly, revealing Damon with his big grin and reached out hand for her to grab. She sends him one of her sweet smiles and takes his outstretched hand in hers, entwining it. He closes the door with his feet, locks it then pulls her toward the entrance.

As soon as they get to the host table, Damon walks up and says, "Salvatore for two."

The hostess checks her computer for a second, smile at them then leads them toward the back of the restaurant.

 _Romeo's_ has seating for at least twenty people inside and twenty people outside. The garden, the one the hostess leading them to, is adorned with twinkle lights everywhere and each table has a candle jar which makes it perfect and romantic for couple. Elena smiles to herself, surprised that Damon has a bit of romantic side on him. Everyday that she learns something new about Damon, she holds onto it. She likes the facts Damon throw about himself though sometimes he doesn't even realized that he was giving her something about himself.

"Here you go, Mr. Salvatore. Hope the seats are according to your liking. Your waiter, Jonah, will come in about five minutes. Here are the menus. Enjoy your night." Then the hostess leaves.

Damon pulls Elena's seat and she happily drops her bum on it, still wearing a big smile on her face, appreciating everything that Damon has done tonight, "Thank you, kind sir."

He takes a sit in front of her, "Well, after all I was raised to be a perfect Southern gentleman."

"Right, sometimes I forget you were born in 1800," Elena says, puckering her lips.

"You must never forget about this one, though," he leans in closer to her face and instinctively she leans closer to him, "I'm a big bad vampire."

She laughs out loud, throwing her head back and Damon gives himself a pat in the back in his mind.

"Anyway," Elena says after controlling her breath for a second, "What's good here?"

" _Yelp_ says the pasta is to die for. I personally in the mood for cannelloni."

Elena grins, "Everytime you say 'Yelp', I feel like you will do whatever it says."

"Well, it is a trustworthy app. Don't judge me."

"Okay," her attention back to the menu, "I think I'm gonna go with good ole beef lasagna."

After a couple of minutes, concentrating on their respective menus, their waiter comes with a tablet in his hands.

"Good evening, guys. I'm Jonah, are you ready to order?"

Elena looks up and the waiter has his eyes widened, stuck on her beauty, which makes Damon want to rip his eyebrows out and feed it to him.

"I'd like some beef lasagna and iced tea, please."

He blinks a few times before clears his throat and writes on his tablet. Now Damon really wants to rip his throat out for looking at his girl.

"Buddy! Eyes up there, not on her chest," Damon exclaims a little too loud, earning a gasp and a glare from Elena.

"I'm sorry," he squeaks out, "Sir, what would you like to order?" he averts his gaze to Damon, silently apologize to him for ogling Elena.

"Spinach ricotta cannelloni and bring your finest wine," he orders.

In record time Jonah nods, mumbling about their orders then rushes out of their table.

"Damon," she admonishes, "You don't have to be so rude to him."

"What? I was protecting your virtue."

"It's not like he wants to have sex with me," Elena says, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, he did. Did you not see the way he was looking at you? Like you were the finest meat," he grumbles.

She smiles, taking his hand that he places on the table, in hers, "Thanks. But I can look out for myself, okay?"

He pouts but squeezes her hand, telling her okay. She pulls back but immediately misses the warmth that Damon's hand provided her a few seconds ago.

"So, alcohol coming up, why don't you tell me about your brother?"

He replies with a sigh. "Nosy."

"Come on, Damon. I told you about my parents. The only way for this to work is if you tell me about you. On a personal level."

"'This?'" he asks, "What exactly is 'this', Elena?"

Her cheeks flushes, doesn't know what to answer, "This… friendship. This trust. This soul mate thing that you've been going on about. So many 'this' I can't even explain."

He smirks teasingly, "Fine, but only because I trust you."

Elena's eyes widened slightly, "You trust me?"

"Of course," he answers without a beat of hesitation.

"Okay, then," she looks down at her hands on the table.

He clears his throat, "Stefan was my brother, he was eighteen when he turned, whereas I was twenty-four. We met a female vampire, Katherine. She was beautiful, smart, confident, seductive, but selfish and manipulative. We fell in love with her, we both did. We were blinded by our loves for her that we were willing to turn. We were a part of her games for 150 years, and we didn't care. Like I said, blinded," Damon sighs, there is a hint of regret and sadness in it, "One night she was with Stefan and the next she was with me, and we liked it as long as we got Katherine."

Elena wants to feel disgusted by it. How can brothers do that? Isn't that categorized as incest or something? But she doesn't. Rather, she feels sorry for both bothers.

"But Stefan, he wanted a life with white picket fence and family of his own, though vampires can't procreate, he'd settled with adoption. However, Katherine rejected him. She still wants me and she knew bringing a kid to our threesome would be trouble. So, he left. He left me with Katherine only to be abused emotionally every night because after all this time, she only ever loved Stefan. I was only a play thing to her," he adds bitterly, a hatred and abhorrence shine in his fiery blue eyes.

Elena gasps slightly as her eyes fill with unshed tears. How could someone do that to Damon? He is, by far, the funniest and big-hearted person she has ever met.

"One day, she couldn't take any more heartache left by Stefan, she took her own life. She drove a stake to her heart, ignoring my love for her and chose to die instead of opening up her heart for me. A few years later I started looking for Stefan. I didn't wanna be alone for eternity. Then, I found him, with his family. He was a father to seventeen year old girl. Her name was Amara. I stuck around watching them. I finally had my brother back, and he'd forgiven me for not going with him and chose Katherine when he asked me to leave years ago. But then… two years later, he was staked. Katherine's enemy from years ago wanted revenge," his knuckles turn white as he try to repress his wrath. Elena, with tears pouring from both eyes, takes his hands in hers and smiles as she tries to let him continue.

"I promised Stefan I would take care of his daughter. And I did, at least until I decided to take off this ring," he wiggles his ring finger, showing off his lapis lazuli ring. "But even when I'm dead, I became a ghost. I didn't know why I'm not going to hell or something. So, I searched for Amara, and I found out that she has a daughter now. Her name is Nadia Petrova."

* * *

 **Hi! So, a bit longer chapter to make up for the long wait. I'm busy with my thesis that everytime I open my laptop I always focused on a certain word document. But it is almost finished, at least one more chapter of my thesis then I'm free.**

 **You guys, no more TVD! Up to this moment I don't have enough courage to watch the finale from beginning to the end :'( Feel free to message me about TVD finale.**

 **Anyway, let me know what you think about this one! I'll try to update Blind date and Something Like Fate soon.**

 **PS: Do you ever read Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro? It's the object of my thesis and I would like to know what you think about the collection ;)**


	13. Chapter 13

**I just realized that I repeat some of the scenes from chapter 11 to chapter 12 and I'm sorry for it. I don't think I will edit it though since the wifi connection here is crap and it took more than twenty minutes to load the page and I will not go through that again, hope you understand.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13 (Day 10-Day 14)  
**

* * *

"Nadia Petrova? As in Nadia from school?" Elena inquires, completely baffled by the fact.

"Yes, your friend Nadia," he sighs. "I don't even know until I met her the first time I picked you up."

"Wow," exclaims the brown-haired girl. "So, like, basically she's your niece? Even though, you know, not by blood?"

"I guess so."

She goes quiet. Jonah the waiter comes with their orders plus the two glasses of wine and complementary mineral water. He carefully puts the foods and drinks on the table, asks if they need anything else and Damon dismisses him.

"Do you miss him? Stefan?" Elena cocks her head to the side slightly.

Damon's clear blue eyes shine something that Elena considered as sorrow, "He was my best friend. We were both with Katherine, sure there were some competitions but at the end of the day, we were brothers."

She nods, completely understands about losing a family member. Hell, she has lost two of her most important family members. "You did well, though," she says as she sips her water then picks up the fork and the knife, "You got out of Katherine's web in the end and went back to him. I'm sure he treasured it."

His lips turn up a little though it's not quiet reach his eyes. "Yeah, sure."

They go silent as they eat their food, too bust with their own mind. While Elena feels a bit uncomfortable to has pushed Damon to talk about his brother, she also feels guilty since tonight supposed to be a fun night for them, not a sour one.

"I'm sorry," Elena's shoulders slump, "I've ruined your mood, haven't I? I forced you to talk about something like this and it definitely has ruined our night. I'm sorry."

He shakes his head, "It's fine, though I was hoping for tonight to be a bit lighter, you know."

"Well, let's talk then. Anything else besides topics that will only let us down."

They end up eating their respective food with occasional small talks. Now Damon knows Elena likes chocolate more than any other flavors, she likes the oldies music but has a soft spot for alternative and latest pop music, and she prefers horror movies more than drama which she claims it can only make her cry and she doesn't like that. Elena herself finds out that Damon likes horse riding when he was human, he also likes chocolate but vanilla is starting to worm its way to Damon's taste buds, and he can dance especially back in 60's. They actually enjoy the night as soon as the topic about Stefan and Nadia has dropped. The foods are amazing and Elena ends up wanting to lick her plates clean but she is a lady after all and she does not do that.

"Ready to go?" Damon asks as soon as he finishes pay the bill.

"Where did you even get the money?"

"A gentleman never tells." He winks at her earning him a blush and slight giggle. He offers him his right arm and Elena happily loops hers in it and they walk out with a smile on their faces.

* * *

"Hi, Nadia," Elena sends her smile to the tall girl in front of her locker.

Nadia looks at her confused, as if it was the first time she's seen her, "You're talking to me?"

"Well, you're the only one here, in front of me," Elena, once again, grins.

"I don't mean to be rude, but we're not friends." Nadia frowns, closing her locker door, turning to face the girl.

The Gilbert girl's face falls but she covers it with a small smirk. "We could be."

"Okay, what's going on, Gilbert?" She crosses her arms in her chest.

"What, I'm just making a conversation. As for we're not friends thing, we could try to be. What's the point of not be friends anyway? We're all social creatures."

"You're a freak," Nadia turns on her heels, ready to leave. But before she has the chance to step forward, Elena softly grabs her arm.

"Wait. I just want to… how are you? With your family and all."

The cheerleader's eyes widen, and then practically drags Elena to the empty class a few feet from where they stand. As soon as they are inside, Nadia stand tall in front of her class mate with narrowed eyes, "What do you want?"

She sighs, "I want to know how you are. How you handling things."

"Just because I snapped and told you all about my problems do not make you my friend. And don't pretend to care anyway, I'm not weak."

"I didn't say you are weak, I genuinely want to know about you. As you know, we have similar problems regarding family, the difference is that I can't see them anymore while you still can but will not be everyday."

Nadia bites her lower lip, mulling over Elena's words. _Does she really care?_

"If you must know, my brother woke up a couple of days ago. My parents postponed their trials until my brother can get back on his feet. It's nothing I can handle, at least for now."

Elena's eyes light up at the good news, "I'm glad he woke up. I think your parents do the right thing, you know, postponing and all that."

"Why do you care?"

She shoots Nadia a smile, "Everybody needs a friend who can and will listen."

* * *

"Whoa, jumpy much?" Elena takes a seat beside Rebekah when she sees her out sitting all alone in the football field.

"Hey."

"What's with you? You've been distracted all morning; you didn't even in for Mr. Waters' class."

"I… I've been having these… I don't know what to call it but I think it's kind of flashes of memories, you know, I know it's not a dream, because I've been having it since few days ago," the blonde girl turns to her best friend.

"Okay… what kind of memories?"

"You'll think I'm crazy," Rebekah turns way, laughing bitterly.

"Try me, Bex."

Rebekah sighs softly, leans in closer to whisper into her best friend's ear. "Vampire. He drinks from me, from my neck."

Elena scoots away a bit, surprise, anger, and confused writer all over her face, "What?"

"Told you you wouldn't believe me," Rebekah starts to get up and turns to walk away from her.

"No, no wait up," Elena jogs to match her pace as they walk together to the parking lot. "What do you mean vampire?"

Rebekah stops in front of her car, opens the door and throws her bag to the backseat, "I mean vampire, with fangs and all that jazz. I can't see his face clearly but I can feel the piercing skin and the pain. And I know I'm not crazy so don't try to make me get over it."

"I'm – I'm not… just that, I want you to relax, okay? Take a breather or something, it's nearing our finals anyway, maybe it's just stress."

"You don't believe me," she scoffs, stomping her foot.

"I do believe that when I'm stressed, I also feel like that. Imagining things that don't happen, can't happen even."

Rebekah stays silent, contemplating what Elena has said, "Maybe you're right. I'll just go home, throw a bath bombs or two then soak in it. Chamomile tea will help after that. Okay, I'll relax. I'll see you tomorrow, then. Love you."

* * *

When Elena gets home, her phone chirps signaling the third messages Damon has sent her. She gets her first one twenty minutes ago and when she doesn't reply, he sends another one. She is not in the mood to confront him, though he's been making her best friend into a walking blood bag. She's furious with him. How dare he? Even after she has introduced them. Really? Does Damon really do not have a care in the world for anyone besides himself?

Suddenly she feels like a fool for believing that he cares about her. She has let him come into her life, slowly tearing down the walls she has built for so long, and for what? For getting a free blood from people she cares about. Maybe Jenna…

"Jenna!" she yells as she runs down the stairs.

"Hey, kiddo, what's with the shouting?" Jenna greets her niece when they are face-to-face in the kitchen.

"Have you had any flashes of memories of… vampire?"

Her eyebrows turn upwards, "What do you mean?"

Elena clears her throat, "Bex has been having these flashes of vampire drinking from her. I guess it's just a stress, and I know how hard working you are, so I thought maybe you've been suffering from the same thing, you know. I'm just… sometimes worried about you."

"Um, thanks for the concern but I haven't, 'Lena. Does Bex really having those?"

"She said so, yes. I just guess that…"

"You're a good friend," Jenna smiles, squeezing Elena's left arm. "And a good person. But you don't have to worry about me, I'm okay."

"Okay," she sighs a breath of relief, "I'm gonna take a bath and do my homework upstairs then."

* * *

It has been more than a couple of days since Elena has been avoiding him. He has visited her house only to find out that she's locked her window and her bedroom door. She's been ignoring his calls and messages; she's even been going home early when he comes to her school. Did he do something wrong?

It has also been two weeks since he came back to Earth, living his undead life once again. He only has two more weeks left to make her love him so that he can stay.

He sighs, takes a swig of his finest bourbon. He doesn't know anything else to do besides moping, it's not like he can compel Elena to talk to him and tell him she loves him. He misses her. She leaves him with his thoughts of regret about his actions. Maybe he did say something that offends her when he took her out to Romeo's. Or maybe she's just been busy, but even he knows it can't be. As bust as Elena with school, she has never locked her window.

I'm really turning into Stefan.

The doorbell snaps him out of his somber thoughts. He gets up on his feet, put down the bottle and walks to the door.

"Elena?"

"You feed from my friend."

* * *

 **So, Elena knows! Damon's compulsion is weak due to his condition, he's not fully vampire, he's not a ghost, he's not human either, so he's in between. I hope you understand Elena will not just jump into bed with him since she has guarded herself years ago since her parents died.**

 **Anyway, quick question, does this story not satisfy you anymore? Should I just stop writing it because I see more and more less people read it and review it. Or maybe you have suggestions for this story to be more exciting, just tell me.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Guys we're getting closer to Day 30!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14 (Day 14-Day 17)  
**

* * *

Jenna is busy doing the dishes while her boyfriend grading his students' papers in the den. As soon as she is done, she flops down the couch next to him, handing him a glass of red wine.

"Did you know that Damon's been feeding off of people in Mystic Falls?"

"What?" Alaric asks, alarmed, knowing fully that if people found out would be trouble.

"Elena asked me earlier if I'm having flashes of memories regarding a feeding vampire. Apparently Rebekah, Elena's best friend, been having one and I'm pretty sure it's Damon," she sighs, "Should we do something?"

Alaric stops what he's been doing, leaning against his seat, "I think him feeding will be a problem if people find out. But I found a freezer full of blood bags a couple of days ago in the basement and I think what he did is just a one-time thing. But we still need to be on the lookout."

"Elena's been avoiding Damon," Jenna tells him.

"So that's why he's been moping around the house. Not even bother to get out for even five minutes." Alaric says, "Where is she, by the way?" he cranes his neck, looking for the high school girl.

"She's out, most likely to confront Damon. That's just who she is, putting other people first. I think she's mad at him for feeding from her friend, or she's mad because he didn't tell her. Or maybe she's just jealous."

"Jealous?" Alaric raises an eyebrow, turning to face his girlfriend.

"Yeah, maybe she thinks Damon feeding from other girls is quiet personal or something. Or, I don't know, maybe I'm just hoping too much that our plan's going to work," she sighs, putting her head on top of his shoulder.

He kisses the top of her head, "It's been two weeks," he remarks.

"I know. They've got two more weeks."

"It's gonna work," Alaric assures Jenna.

"Your optimism sometimes annoying, you know. Makes me hope too much."

"We can only hope, babe… the rest is up to them."

* * *

" _You feed from my friend."_

Damon, standing with only a pair of dark washed jeans that hung too low, gaps like a fish out of water.

"Tell me I'm wrong," she challenges him, fire evident in her eyes.

He sighs, takes a step back to let her come in. She's hesitates at first, but after one second crosses the threshold and closes the door.

"Answer me, Damon." Her voice full of venom.

He sighs; half embarrassed half guilty, "I did. But I'm not anymore."

She closes her eyes; her fear has come true, "Why? Why her? Why here, in Mystic Falls, where a lot of people most likely will notice because of their history with supernatural hundreds years ago?"

"I didn't know she's your friend, okay? I fed from her a couple of days after I was back, then the last time was when we were fighting."

She widens her eyes, " _Twice_?! You fed from her twice?"

Damon's flinched at her shrieking, "You don't know?"

"She just told me that she's been having some flashes of you feeding from her," she hisses, "I didn't know you were feeding from her twice. God, Damon!"

Elena paces back and forth with her hand on her forehead trying to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know—"

"You didn't know the first time, but what about the second time, huh?"

He steps forward, notices that she steps backward with her eyes showing a hint of fear of him. _God, what an idiot I was!_

He raises both of his hands up in surrender, "I am sorry. I was pissed at you, I was hungry, and I tasted her blood before, so I just did it."

Elena takes a deep breath, trying to calm down and suppressing her panic, "What if she knows? What if she babbles to other people? What if the town council stakes you in your sleep? I learned about 1800, okay? Where the council hunted down every single vampire in town and burned them alive!"

Damon blinks once. Twice. Three times. "That's what you get so worked up? You're afraid that if anybody finds out that they would kill me?" he asks. "You're worried about me?" he whispers below his breath making Elena barely hear.

"Yes. And no, I also pretty pissed at you for feeding off of my friend. You betrayed my trust. I trust you not to hurt me and the people that I care about."

"So, you're worried about me?" he lets out a sigh, his lips form a lopsided smile.

"That's what you're focus on?" she asks exasperatedly.

He clears his throat, "Okay, I'm sorry, I won't feed from people anymore. I've got blood bags downstairs any—"

"You stole blood bags from hospital?" she screeches.

"You'd rather I feed off from people?" he asks pointedly.

"No," she mumbles.

"And about Rebekah, I'll just compel her again tomorrow; maybe the compulsion would be stronger this time since I've feed regularly now."

Her eyes narrow at him. "Promise me you are not going to feed from people again. It's too risky."

He grins, "So you care about me?"

"Shut up. I gotta go now, I just wanna make sure you don't do anything stupid again."

"Wait," he grabs her arm softly, "You've been avoiding me."

"Nice observation," she says sarcastically.

"And now you wanna leave again?"

"You need to be punished."

"I'd take any kind of punishments except this one," he smirks. "You know I have a bed here."

"Gross."

He laughs freely, earning a little smile from Elena making his heart now full of hope and it feels lighter, "But, we good, right?"

"Ask me again tomorrow."

* * *

"So, I invited Alaric again for breakfast, that's okay, right?"

"For the last time, it is your house, do what you want."

Elena goes to pour orange juice from the carton, while Jenna flips pancakes, "This is a home to me as much as it is a home to you, you know that"

She sighs, sitting down at one of the stools, "I know. Yes, I'm okay with him here. He's nice to you, and a good teacher to me."

"He's you're teacher?"

"He once filled in for Mr. Tanner when he was sick. But Alaric is teaching juniors mostly."

They fall into silent, focusing on their respective tasks. Elena with her twiddling thumbs and Jenna with her pancakes flipping and stacking.

"Oh, he also gonna bring Damon. You remember Damon, right?"

She tenses but covers it up with a smile, "Yeah."

"So, what do you want for your graduation present?"

"I don't need anything. I've got money for books, clothes, and basically everything from mom and dad."

"Oh come on, you're going to NYU. The least I can do is buying you a new laptop."

A few days ago, letters of acceptance from universities that he has applied to. She is accepted in UCLA, Duke and NYU, but ultimately has chosen NYU as her source of higher education.

"You know I still worry about you living here alone," Elena says, "You let your life and job go when you had to take me in and now I'm leaving you."

"Oh, honey," Jenna turns off the stove, bringing stacks of pancakes on the dining table and goes to where Elena is sitting and put her hands on her shoulders, "You don't have to worry about me, okay? I gave up all those things to take care of my only niece, it's okay. Besides, I may have asked Ric to move in here with me," she blushes.

"Wow, Aunt Jenna, and here I am thinking you can't afford to fend for yourself. Congrats on wearing the pants in the relationship or whatever," she smirks happily, hugging her aunt.

"Yeah, and he has agreed," Jenna smile grows bigger as she let go of Elena and sits in front of her.

"Is marriage gonna be in your card?"

"I don't know," Jenna confesses sheepily, "But I think so, I mean, we've been dating for almost a year now and I don't know who else going to make me happy besides him. Well, you make me happy, but I can't exactly marry you."

Elena laughs, "I just hope for the best for you."

"Thanks, kiddo. You know I love you."

The bell rings when Elena wants to answer, a second later both men, Jenna's and Elena's, hopefully, stride into the kitchen, interrupting the women's mushy moment.

"Hey, guys," Alaric waves, walking to Jenna to kiss her cheek.

Damon, with his eyes only focused on his soul mate, walks straight in front of Elena and smirks. "Good morning."

Elena flushes, "Morning." She gets up from her stool then goes to sit in one of the dining chairs, "Can we eat now? I'm hungry."

"Well, you heard the princess of the castle," Jenna rolls her eyes.

Soon, Damon picks to sit beside Elena, Jenna in front of Damon and Alaric is beside her. They keep silent as they devoured pancakes with maple syrups. More than once Elena feels from the corner of her eyes that Damon closely watching her, but she ignores him. Their legs are touching, making Elena hard to ignore him, resulted in she clears her throat more than twice.

"Stop it," Elena whispers lowly.

"Stop what?" Damon leans in to her ear.

Unconsciously, Elena leans back to him, "Stop touching my leg."

Unbeknownst to them, Jenna and Alaric watching them with a big grin on their faces.

* * *

 _Elena: I have to make an essay about Belgium in 1800. Could you help me?_

 _Damon: What's in it for me?_

Elena types "you get to spend time with me", then deletes it because she thinks it's too confident. She then writes "I'll forgive you", then wipes it off the screen because messing with Damon is just so fun and she doesn't want it to stop yet. She finally types "I'll make you lunch" and sends it because it seems not too desperate and embarrassing.

Elena doesn't need help in writing her history essay, to be honest. Moreover, her history would probably get A because of her perfect attendance and she's always on time in submitting her assignments. The essay is only for students who would need extra credits, Mr. Tanner says. She doesn't need one but she sure as hell wants to spend the Sunday with Damon.

The truth is she has already forgiven Damon. Her anger was a spur of the moment thing because he drank from Rebekah. Of all more than a thousand people in Mystic Falls, why did he have to feed from a girl? And that girl happens to be her best friend. She refuses to think about the word 'jealous', because she was not. At least that's what she wanted to believe. Damon has made her life, and possibly her heart, upside down. He has gotten under her skin, and no matter what she does, she can't shake him. Not that she wants to, because she has gotten used to Damon being around.

The second factor as to why she was so mad at him is because he seems have no regard whatsoever toward is life. How could he be so careless? The time when Damon came about two weeks ago, Elena decided to read some history books of Mystic Falls. It turns out that Mystic Falls had had a bit of problem with vampires before, around the time when Damon was alive. Who could guarantee that he would be safe and be spared when people found out about what he is?

 _Damon: Deal. Be there in 5._

She smiles, locking her phone off. Jenna is out with Alaric, which apparently is taking her to see a movie in Atlanta and won't be home until tomorrow. Elena runs downstairs and goes to the kitchen. She grabs boneless chicken breasts that Jenna has cooked the day before from the fridge and begins to make sandwiches.

"Hi, there."

Damon is leaning on the counter next to her, "If you scare me once more, I'll cut your balls off."

"Ooh, scary," Damon teases, his smirk getting wider. "What you making?"

"Chicken sandwich. I promised you lunch."

"Elena," he whines. "I can get sandwich from The Grill or any other café in town. Let me handle lunch."

She pouts slightly, "I'm halfway done."

"Put them in the fridge," he says as he searches for some ingredients for pepperoni pizza, "I'm making pizza."

She rolls her eyes, "It better be good."

"Please, I do everything perfectly. It'll blow your mind. You go do your homework; you can ask me as I cook this."

Elena does as she told, but never once she asks Damon about her assignment. He fills her in that he has compelled Rebekah again earlier, making her sigh a breath of relief.

"I'm done."

He turns his head from the oven, "You're done? You don't even need me to help you."

"I actually roped you here to make me lunch," she stuck her tongue out at him.

He mumbles about being tricked into being her personal cook.

As soon as the pizza is done, Damon brings it to the den as Elena turns on the TV. It showing _Hannah Montana_ reruns but they both don't really care as they happily eat the pizza that Damon makes.

"Told you it'd be perfect," Damon says proudly when he sees Elena's poor attempt to gag.

"Yeah, yeah, it's a good thing you can cook, 'cause I can't. You'll do the cooking from now on."

His heart full of hopefulness as he keeps Elena's words in his head, "That's fine by me."

"So," Elena starts, biting down on her pizza slice, "Tomorrow is the first day of finals; you may think I'm too unprepared but I got it. I'm smart," she smirks, "And I'm going to NYU this fall."

His eyebrow raised in surprise, "Congratulations, then. You deserve it, 'Lena."

Her heart skips a beat when he says her name. He looks so soft and genuinely happy for her. "Thanks. Anyway, what would you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, obviously I haven't find a way to poof you back to wherever you were before, so what would you be doing when I'm gone to New York?"

His face falls, but Elena notices. He's good at covering his emotions because in a matter of second, his grin is back on his handsome face, "I may follow you to New York."

"You'll be attending as student as well?" she asks stupidly.

He scoffs. "If I was still here by the time you leave, I'd follow you to new York, but not as student. I have degrees—"

"What do you mean by 'if I was still here'?" Elena frowns. Does he going to go away soon?

"Don't mind your pretty little head," he says softly, ruffling her hair earning her glare, "I just think that maybe by that time, you'd find a way to poof me back."

She blinks. Does she really want him to go away?

* * *

Damon is leaning against his blue Camaro waiting for his soul mate to appear in the sea of students. This morning, he has had picked her up and told her that he would also be the one who get her home.

"Hi, Damon!"

Caroline, the blonde cheerleader, confidently crosses the parking lot to where he is standing.

"Ugh, what do you want?"

She frowns a little, but hides it with a smile on her face. Accompanied by her cronies, he spots Nadia in her left, making him standing up straighter.

Seeing Nadia makes him miss his baby brother.

"Are you picking up the ugl—Elena?"

He narrows his eyes dangerously, "Yes, I am picking up my _beautiful_ girlfriend."

Elena herself, walking casually toward Damon's car but hasn't seen the owner. As soon as she sees him, standing up talking to the bane of her existence, she stops. She feels so many different things just by looking at her, but fear is kind of dominating her. She watches them from a few feet away; Damon seems to haven't noticed her yet. When she sees Caroline putting her hand on his arm, she sees red. She marches toward where Damon, Caroline and her gang are standing, forcefully slapping the blonde's hand away from his arm and kisses Damon.

Well, it's only a kiss on the cheek, but it lingers.

"Hi, handsome, have you waited long?" she asks sweetly, fluttering her long lashes as she looking up at Damon's bright baby blues.

Damon smirks, knowing exactly what she wants him to do. "No, just got here ten minutes ago. How was first day of finals, babe?"

"Went fine. I missed you, though." She pouts, making her lower lips jutted out and he barely can stand without kissing her.

Before he knows it, he leans forward, giving her a second to decline him, but he sees the same desire in her eyes, then put his lips on hers softly. Her lips are perfect for him. They are soft yet it dominates him. He feels her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as he licks her lower lips, asking for an entrance which she gladly obliges. His hands itself wind around her slim waist and soon start caressing her back. The world around them disappears; they do not care if there was a bomb goes off as long as their lips pressing against each other.

"Uh, hello!" Caroline stomps her feet.

After a few more kisses, Damon lets go of her lips and notices the blush on Elena's cheeks making him want more than just a kiss from her. His hands keep holding her waist as he turns to the cheerleader, "What?"

"You cannot just make out in front of the school, we have rules."

"Then get out of my way so I can make out with my girl more out of the school," Damon smirks, taking Elena's hand in him.

* * *

 **They finally kiss! I can't even begin to tell you how long I've waited to write the scene whee they kiss. Elena also getting her walls slowly coming down, but is she going to realize her feelings for him before he dissapears? Only time would tell. Also, have you had any idea about Jenna and Alaric's plan from the beginning? And what it all has to do with them?**

 **Well, leave a review then! Let me know what you think.**

 **Have a nice weekend!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 (Day 18-Day 20)  
**

* * *

"You can't kiss me again," Elena states.

After Damon parks his car on the driveway, without waiting for him, Elena rushes upstairs to her room. Damon follows suit as she has predicted. He jumps on the bed, propping his back against her headboard while she's awkwardly standing next to her dresser.

He frowns, recalling that Elena enjoyed their little first kiss as much as he did. "Why not?"

"You just can't. It's not right." She huffs then goes to her closet, yanking her thin stripes sweater abruptly. She's left with a camisole and her jeans as she drops her butt next to Damon, looking at him intently. "I don't want people to think that we're together."

"Well, they already are. I've been _pretending_ as your boyfriend, remember?" The way he says the word 'pretending' makes Elena want to wipe the word from dictionary.

"Yes, but not all of them know, but with the way you kissed me earlier, now whole school would find out. I don't like it."

His gaze turns cold and hard, intimidating. His jaw tightens, frightening the girl beside him. He gets up, wanting to go to his car because right now, his _soul mate_ is being ridiculous.

"I'm not done talking to you, Damon." Elena gets up as well, rushing to his side then grabbing his arm, not willing for him to go yet.

She flinches when he slaps her hand away harshly. "I'm not in the mood to talk to you." He says so low that Elena feels like running away from him.

"I'm sorry, okay? I just don't want you to kiss me again."

He turns around, facing her. "You know what I don't get? You were enjoying it as much as I did. I didn't hear you complain when I kissed you. You even let my tong—"

"Don't be so crass," Elena chides.

"What the hell do you want from me?" Damon flares his hands in the air exasperatedly, getting confused and annoyed by Elena's hot and cold attitude.

"I just… I don't want you to kiss me in public again. I've been trying _so_ hard to—I just don't want you to kiss me again. I can't think straight when you're around me let alone when you kiss me!" Elena exclaims, though she knows she sound like a broken record.

"You've been trying so hard to… what?" Damon asks, a flutter of hope blooms inside of his dead, cold heart.

"Ugh, you and your one track mind," Elena cries, "Could you please focus on this general topic? I do not want you to kiss me again."

"Why not? And this time tell me the truth." He commands, taking one step closer so that they are now nose-to-nose.

Elena's gaze involuntarily moves down to his pink, curved, kissable lips. The way Damon licks his lips that is suddenly too dry makes her unable to tear her eyes from it. In return, his eyes moved to her plump lips, wanting her to be the one who makes the move. "I can't think straight when you do… that." Elena whispers, the sentence barely comes out of her mouth but she knows Damon hear her. She opens her mouth slightly, wanting so bad to taste the perfect lips that touched hers before. Damon's scent filling her nostrils, and if anything, it only makes her want him more.

Damon leans in, still keeping an inch or two from his Achilles heels that is Elena's lips, "Why can't you?" he murmurs.

Tentatively, Elena leans forward, touching her upper lips to Damon's lower one. They are barely touching but she feels as if she's on fire. Damon does that to her lately and she likes it. "Because you fill my head… I can only think about you," she claims breathlessly.

Damon takes what she gives. He captures her lower lip in his, nibble on it for a second then switch to kiss her upper lip, trapping it in his kiss. Sucking her bottom lip hard enough, making her moan. He switches lips again, softly groaning at the feel of her wet lips. As he feels Elena's legs become feeble under his touch, he puts his left hand on her neck, controlling their kiss, and his right hand on her lower back. Elena winds up her arms around his neck, playing with the soft hair on his nape, earning a low growl from him. Elena sweeps her tongue on the corner of his lips, asking for entrance that he happily allows. As their tongues fight for dominance, Damon's forcefully grab both of her legs to wrap them around his waist. She does what he wants, feeling bold by the second. Damon takes what is belong to him, her butt cheeks, and presses them together to his hardened lower body part to let her know his excitement. She gasps softly, exposing her neck as Damon trails his lips and tongue down her jugular and the top of her cleavage. Elena herself, tugs his dark hair more vehemently, never wants him to stop the pleasure he's giving her, but she knows they have to stop before…

"Stop, stop, wait… Damon," her breathy moan makes Damon pause his kisses down her cleavage.

"What?" Damon tries to control his breath, letting her legs unwind from his waist, but keeping her in his arms not willing to let her go yet.

Elena pants softly, smiling at him. "Can we take this slow, please?"

He grins, showing her his pearly whites, "Elena, what is 'this'?"

She blushes under his stare. She knows she no longer can fight her attraction to him. His personalities, good and bad, are mostly what make her fascinated by him. Not to mention his God-like physique. And now that she knows what it's like to be kissed by him, she knows she's a goner. "Would you stop with the teasing for one second? I just think that… I like you, okay? I care about you, so much. But it's been a while since I've opened my heart for someone, you know that. I just—can we go slow, please?"

He kisses her forehead tenderly. "Anything you want, beautiful."

For the first time in three years, when she thought her life has no meaning after her parents died, she feels giddy.

Hopeful.

Happy.

She smiles up to him lightly, showing him that he's the one that makes her like this. "I'm happy." Her tears start to gather around her eyes and when they fall, Damon wipes it away with such tender care, as if she's the most precious thing in the world.

"I'm glad," he beams, "You make me happy too."

He takes her in his arms as Elena finds her spot on Damon's shoulder, nuzzling it, "But just to be clear, if a guy asks me on a date, I'd say no?"

He snarls playfully, tightening his hold on her, "You'll say 'go to hell' instead."

* * *

The next day rolls around. Her AP Chemistry and French finals are over. All that's left is PE and AP English, which she will slay tomorrow, AP History and AP Biology that she's pretty sure she can handle. On Thursday she's only have AP Social Studies and AP Algebra, and on the last day, she's only having one final which is only Arts.

She is currently waiting for Damon to pick her up. She has already told him that she would finish in the library at five, and now is ten minutes to five; she decides to wait for him in the parking lot, on one of the benches below the big tree.

"Hey, Elena."

A blonde, football player from her AP History and French class comes up to her, smiling so big that she thinks it could hurt his cheeks. "Hey, Matt."

"You waiting for someone?" he takes a seat beside her, putting down his backpack and football on the ground.

"Yeah, I didn't bring my car today."

"Well, are they late? I can take you home if you want."

"No, actually I'm early, I'll just wait here." She says dismissively but it seems like he can't take a hint.

"I actually want to ask you something." He rubs his hands together nervously.

Elena raises an eyebrow, "Yes?"

"Will you go to the prom with me?" Matt asks with a hint of shyness in his bright blue eyes.

"Matt, I—"

"There you are, _sweet cheeks_." Damon walks confidently toward the couple on the bench. As soon as he gets there, Elena gets up and pecks him sweetly on the cheek.

"Hi," she flushes. Apparently, after she and Damon straighten things out regarding where they stand, he gets her blush and nervous whenever he's around.

"You done studying?" he inquires, ignoring the awkward blonde guy sitting next to them.

"Yeah," she confirms. She turns her attention to Matt. "I'm sorry but I can't, Matt."

Damon glares intimidatingly to the high school guy who already stands up. Matt mumbles 'it's okay' then rushes toward his truck in the parking lot.

As soon as he's out of sight, Elena turns to Damon, "Did you do it on purpose? Walking here as soon as his question's out?"

He scoffs, "Of course."

She laughs cheerily, "Well, you made it awkward for him."

"I don't care, he should know what's mine is mine alone."

She blushes again. Ignoring the possessive undertone in Damon's word because she likes being his, "Am I yours?"

"'Course you are, baby," he steals a kiss from her lips, resulting in Elena sighs softly. She seems to be breathless whenever he does that.

They walk hand in hand toward Damon's parked Camaro. As soon as they are inside and Damon turns on the engine, Elena states, "I don't have a date to prom."

He lifts an eyebrow, looking incredulously at his soul mate, "What, you think I'm an ornament plant?"

She blinks, "You want to go to the prom with me?"

"Babe, of course I want to. Besides, a whole night dancing with you is better than whole night only with my bourbon," he smirks; his attentions back to the road.

"Thanks," she snorts. "You compare me to bourbon again and I'll kick you hard on the balls."

And all he can do is laugh.

* * *

By Wednesday, practically the whole schools know that Elena has rejected Matt for her older boyfriend. A lot of girls are jealous; she hears some of the girls say something about it.

" _Did you know that Gilbert has an Adonis as a boyfriend?"_

" _That girl is so lucky."_

" _I'd trade my family for someone like him."_

" _Can Elena and I switch lives, please?"_

But not all of them are jealous. Some of them, mostly Matt's groupies, blame Elena for causing Matt's heartbreak.

" _Who does she think she is? The queen of England?"_

" _That bitch needs to pay!"_

" _Oh, my poor Matthew."_

Elena tries to ignore them all, and thankfully she gets a loyal person as her best friend.

"How long do you think you can avoid my question?" Rebekah asks.

After their first final of the day, they decide to sit on the bleachers after they've bought something from the cafeteria's vending machine. Elena sips her coke as her best friend eats her nachos.

Elena sighs, turning her attention to her best friend. "It just happened, okay? We kissed and now we're… together. _Really_ together."

"Was it good?" her eyebrows dancing up and down.

"I am not talking about this with you," Elena snickers.

"That means it was," the blonde girl smiles happily.

They fall into silence as they watch the football and cheerleader teams practice for tomorrow's last game before the end of the semester.

"Did Matt really ask you to prom?"

"Yep, right on time as Damon came around to pick me up."

"Wow, talk about awkward," Rebekah rolls her eyes.

"I know. And now almost all of them students hate me because of it."

"Relax; you do what you want to do."

"What would I do without you in college?" Elena sighs, turning to face her best friend of three years.

Rebekah has accepted to go to Duke since her mother cannot go alone raising her twins little brother alone. Since her father has remarried to another woman and now lives in Chicago, she can't do much about her mother's request. Duke is only two hours away and she can go home every week to help her mother with the twins and running the bakery.

"If only you chose Duke," Rebekah puts her head on Elena's shoulder. "I'm gonna miss you."

"Well, you know me. I want to explore what's outside." Elena muses.

"Gilbert!"

They turn around to find Caroline and Nadia, with guilt splashes on her face, walking toward them. Elena straightens up her sitting position, while Rebekah rolls her eyes.

"You humiliated me in front of Damon. You dared to defy me. You don't even look pretty, and you rejected Matt," Caroline standing dangerously close to a crouched down Elena.

But Elena, though, feels like she has enough of the bully, stands up and slaps Caroline on the cheek. It's not enough to make her hand print but it must hurt as hell.

"You do not talk to me that way," Elena threatened, pointing her for finger to the bully's chest. Caroline gaps like a fish while Nadia stares at her in amusement and fails to keep her mouth shut.

"Oh my god, Elena, that was so good," she goes to high five the doe-eyed girl which earns her a slap on the hand and weak smile.

Elena grabs Rebekah's arm and drags her away from the bleachers.

"What was that?" Rebekah asks, with a hint of delight in her eyes.

"I think it's time that we stand up to a bully. I know I was wrong by slapping her but she just knows how to push my mean buttons," Elena half sighs half smiles at her best friend.

"You go, girl!"

* * *

 **Did I do it right? The make-out sesh between our power couple? ;)**

 **They are official. It'll take Elena some time to really realize that she loves Damon, and to say I love you out loud. The question is, will she have time to say it? Will Damon disappear before she got the chance to say it? Some of you have pretty good guess about Jenna and Alaric's involvement. There's a guess reviewer who wants Elena to be a vampire, but I don't think that she will. Oh, well, let's just see then!**

 **Drop a review? Have a nice Sunday! It's Sunday already in Indonesia, so...**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16 (Day 20-Day 22)  
**

* * *

"Hey, how was your day? Your finals went okay?"

Jenna, who's dressed down only in a pair of sweat pants and a worn black t-shirt, asks her niece as soon as she gets to the kitchen from school.

"Went great, you don't have to worry about my grades," Elena waves the subject off as she takes a glass of water from the sink. When her phone goes off, she taps some button to open the message. Whatever the message is, it creates a big silly smile on her face.

The aunt continues chopping down some tomatoes and carrots as she notices the smile on her niece's face. "What's got you so excited?"

"Damon." Her eyes widens as is she doesn't realize she has said it out loud. "Uh… I mean—"

"Damon's texting you? The same Damon who joined us for breakfast on Saturday?"

"Yes?" She answers, unsure of what's her aunt going to think and say.

Jenna stops her activity, looking straight at her niece, "Why?"

Elena goes silent as she contemplates whether to tell her aunt or not, "Um… Damon and I… we're kind of dating."

Elena's aunt's eyes widens but she starts to form a happy grin on her face, which she quickly replace with bite down on her lower lip. "You are?"

"Wait." Elena's eyebrows furrow. "You're okay about me dating him? I mean, he's an older guy." _Much older_ , Elena adds.

"Oh, what's three, four years older even mean?" Jenna comes around to stand in front of her niece and hugs her tight, "As long as you're happy."

Elena hugs her back, quiet confused but happy that her aunt is okay with him dating Damon. "Thanks, Aunt Jenna."

She lets go of her hug but keeps her arms on Elena's. "But he's treating you right, right?"

"Yeah, he is. He's so… I don't know. He's a pain in my ass sometimes, but he's the one who makes me happy. I just… like being near him. He makes me feel all kinds of things I thought I would never feel again after… you know." Elena gushes. Her blush is becoming visible and she isn't sure if the blush going to stay permanent on her cheeks since she's been doing a lot of that lately.

"I'm so happy for you!" Jenna exclaims. "Why don't you invite him tomorrow for dinner? I'll invite Alaric as well. I mean, I know Friday is the last day of finals, but –"

"It's okay. I only have Arts on Friday. I'll talk to him about it."

"Just so you know, if he keeps putting a smile on your face everyday, I'll let him marry you someday," Jenna winks, walking back to her chopping board.

"Aunt Jenna!"

* * *

"Hey, Smiley Face," Alaric hollers when he sees Damon whistling into the kitchen. He's making toasts for him and Damon, knowing breakfast will get him to his good side.

Damon looks around, as if he doesn't just being called. "You're talking to me?"

"Who else sporting a permanent happy face since a couple of days ago?" he smirks, putting down two toasts in front of Damon.

"Thanks, _Wifey_ ," Damon grins.

"So, what's got you so happy?" the teacher asks as he plops down in front of the vampire, the same toasts but with blueberry jam on it is in front of him.

"We're a couple of old ladies now? We gossip?"

"What, I'm just curious. You've been brooding lately yet you've been like a kid on Christmas morning since—"

"Aw, am I starting to grow on you, Ric?" Damon takes a bit of his toast, fluttering his long dark lashes to the man that he's starting to consider as his friend.

"Just saying, you're like bipolar or something. You're not on drugs, are you?" Alaric quirks an eyebrow.

The vampire rolls his clear blues, ignoring his remarks. They eat in silent, but Damon can see from the corner of his eyes that his housemate's been eyeing him.

"Seriously, what the fuck is your problem?" Damon demands.

"I just hope you know what you're doing," the teacher shrugs, finishing off his toasts then gulping his cold OJ. "With Elena and everything. She's a good kid."

Damon's eyes snaps, glaring at the man in front of him, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Alaric looks straight into Damon's direction, "I know, Damon. I know everything."

Damon frowns, hiding his surprise. He really wants to rip his heart through his eyes if he doesn't say what he means in a second. "What do you know exactly?"

Alaric lets out a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "Just so you know, you don't have to pretend around me. I've been in your shoes. I'm actually kind of tired by beating around the bush for the past three weeks. I think it's time you know the truth."

* * *

Damon and Alaric come five minutes before seven. They've come in separate car, mostly because Alaric's Sedan is not as cool as Damon's –stolen—Camaro, Elena thinks.

"Hi, baby," Elena greets her vampire soul mate, dragging him to the den while Alaric goes straight to the kitchen for Jenna. She stands on her tip toes, lightly kissing him. She sighs contently as soon as Damon reciprocates. He suddenly turns her innocent kisses to something more intense with his arms around her back, pulling her closer. He kisses her once more before tips his mouth a little to peck her forehead.

"Hey, beautiful." He grins, keeping her in his arms.

"Jenna knows," Elena informs. "Apparently, she'd let you marry me if you keep me this happy everyday." She feels him tense for a second before goes normal as usual.

"Really? She's okay with us? So, she wants me to marry you, huh?" He smirks down at her, kissing her head lovingly.

Elena laughs. "I've got college before I can think about marriage, Damon."

"But you want to marry me someday?" His question catches her off guard. It sounds like a joke but she realizes the meaning behind it, with his facial expression right now, she can tell that his question speaks louder. His eyes show vulnerability and adoration that only directed at her. No matter what Damon does, Elena feels special.

"I don't know, I may meet some badass hunks in college," she teases, trying to ease whatever going in his head.

Damon stares at her. He knows that she's just trying to make him feel better by taking his question as a joke, but he needs to know. He barely has eight days to make her love him. Sure, they are in a relationship right now and Damon can't be happier if he tried. Sure, Elena's affections toward him make him believe that his feelings for her would be reciprocated one day. But he still isn't sure if she's going to return it in time, before he has to go.

Alaric's story increases his confident that anything's possible. He is a walking, breathing, human proof after all. Then again, it didn't take him a whole month for him and Jenna to be together and for her to say 'I love you'. For the first time in his life after his brother died, Damon is scared.

"Damon?"

Elena's deep yet soft voice calls him back to reality, "Yeah?"

"You okay? I lost you for a moment."

"Just thinking." He lets her go, trying to make a move to the couch to create some space between them but her grasp on his hand unable him to do it.

"About what?" Elena asks softly.

Before he gets a chance to answer, Jenna calls from the kitchen, telling them that dinner is served. He immediately sees this as an opportunity to stop her for asking more questions, he goes to the kitchen, tugging Elena's hand. They are seated next to each other with Jenna and Alaric sit across from them. Silently the four of them help themselves with the food.

"So, Damon, Elena told me you guys are dating now," Jenna calls out with a playful gleam in her eyes.

Damon smirks, while Elena chokes slightly on her spaghetti. "Why, yes, Jenna. We're courting."

"Courting? I believe no one uses that word anymore."

"Well, I was brought up in a more formal… environment." Damon smiles tightly.

"Okay," Jenna bit on her garlic bread, "I just wanted you to know, you hurt her and you got me to answer to. I've taken Tea Kwon Do in college, I may be a little rusty, but I know a thing or two about balls kicking."

"Aunt Jenna," Elena chides.

"What? I'm just looking out for you."

Under the table, Elena squeezes Damon's hand, which he squeezes right back, to let him know to not pay attention to her not-so-subtle aunt.

When dinner is done, the four of them go to the den. Jenna and Alaric take a seat on the love seat while Damon takes the armchair. Elena doesn't even hesitate to sit on Damon's lap now that their relationship is in the open. Damon puts his right hand on her thighs, while the other hand holding a glass of red wine that Jenna just poured.

"You're taking Elena to prom tomorrow?" Jenna asks, turning her head to her niece's boyfriend.

"That's the plan. Unless this one here got asked by someone today," Damon tickles her die earning him her gleeful laugh. Seeing this, Jenna is grateful that her niece soul mate is Damon, someone who can make her laugh no matter what the situation.

"Nope, I think Matt already spreading the news that I'm not single anymore so no one dared to even come up to me today," Elena mumbles, putting her head down on Damon's shoulder and in a second she feels the pressure of his head on hers, as well as his kiss on her crown.

Little did they know, Jenna and Alaric share a look that tells each other louder than words.

* * *

"Damon will lose his mind tonight. You look so beautiful, Elena." Jenna beams, looking proudly at her niece in her prom dress.

A week ago, Jenna has bought her a brand new dress for prom, knowing that prom is in the future. She has kept it a surprise before tonight, though. She knows Jenna and her have the same taste when it comes to fashion so she doesn't really care about the dress. But Jenna has outdone herself. The dress is stunning. It's a two-piece dress with a deep red v-neck top adorned by flower ribbon bodice that stops at her abdomen, showing her toned abs a little to tease anyone who looks at her, though Damon is the lucky guy who can do more than look at her. The skirt itself is also red, princess ball gown style that stops at her feet. Jenna has said she got it from Sherri Hill so it must have cost a fortune and when she starts to tell her that it's too much, Jenna has dismissed her. Elena completes her look with her old Louboutin's black pumps and a matching black purse. Jenna straightens her usually wavy hair, adding a tiny butterfly clips on her hair to tuck her long bangs to the back of her head. Rebekah helps her with make-up since Jenna also has to get ready for Alaric to pick her up in fifteen since she is his companion as chaperone. Rebekah swipes her matte neutral chocolate on her eyes, adds a swipe of basic eyeliner and two coats of mascara since Elena doesn't need falsies. Rebekah finishes her best friend's look with a Mary Jo matte lipstick from Kylie Cosmetics.

"Jenna was right, Damon will lose his mind tonight," Rebekah grins, proud of her work.

"Aw, don't make me tear up, that'll ruin my make-up."

Rebekah herself is wearing a black mermaid gown with her blonde locks is in chignon. Her make-up is quiet simple, but the deep red on her lip from the color Vixen also from the same brand Elena is using, is making her literally looks like a vixen.

"Well, I think I'll be going now. I just have to text Jeremy to come pick me up here. I swear I wouldn't say yes to be a prom committee if I have to come this early. I hate event organizing," Rebekah whines.

"Just remember that Jeremy will be there and basically no one will be at school yet so you can… fool around a bit," Elena winks.

Rebekah stares dumbfounded at her best friend, "Okay, who are you and what have you done to my sweet, _innocent_ best friend?"

"Huh?"

"Fool around? What has Damon done to you? You've become this… this—I don't even know the word I'm looking for."

"Guess he brings out the playful and adventurous side in me." She sighs softly.

"I'm happy for you, 'Lena." Rebekah says softly, taking Elena's hands in hers, "He's good for you."

"He's amazing," she smiles. "He hasn't called or texted me all day though."

"Maybe he's just trying to give you some space since he knows how a girl is on prom night. You know how girls dress up. It's taken you almost three hours after all," Rebekah reasons, punching a few keys on her phone, texting her date to pick her up at Elena's.

Elena nods, Rebekah has a good point. "I'll see you in an hour and a half?"

"Sure."

* * *

 **So, Damon knows about Jenna and Alaric. I just love writing Elena and Damon especially when she's the one who initiate the kiss or something.**

 **I think this story will wrap up soon, probably to chapter 20 or something. After this one is finished, I'll be focused on Blind Date and Something Like Fate since I've been abandoned the stories for a while now.**

 **Thanks for your reviews for the previous chapter. Care to do it again for this one? ;)**

 **Have a great day!**


	17. Chapter 17

**So, you've probably noticed, or haven't, that I've changed the rating to M. See you at the bottom, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 17 (Day 22-Day 23)  
**

* * *

The doorbell rings when Elena has just finished putting on her pearl stud earrings. Since her aunt has already got picked up by Alaric and Jeremy just sped out of her house with Rebekah thirty minutes ago, Elena has to answer the door. Damon is not supposed to be here yet, Elena thinks.

"It's open," Elena yells as she rushes down the stairs.

The front door's open to reveal a young man in his late thirties with a big bouquet of red roses in his arms. "Elena Gilbert?"

"Yeah?" she frowns as it is the first time she sees a beautiful big flower arrangement.

"A Mr. Damon Salvatore sends this to you," the delivery man shoves her flower bouquet carefully. "Also this." From his messenger bag he takes out a beautiful red and white corsage, "You might want to put it in a fridge for a while though, to make it fresher."

"Thanks." Elena mumbles.

"Sign here, please."

Elena signs where she is supposed to then in two seconds the man runs out to his car.

Tentatively, with a big grin on her face, she put the corsage in the fridge just like the man has suggested. Then she hunts for a flower vase that Jenna has stored in one of the overhead counter. When she finds one, she fills it with water a bit before putting the flowers in it. As she smells the rose, happy because no one has ever given her flowers, she goes to her room and put it on her dresser.

She has her phone in a second to call Damon. It goes straight to voicemail. She thinks maybe Damon is taking a shower or something, she opts to just text him to let him know she has received his flowers and corsage and she can't wait to see him tonight.

She spends the next hour day dreaming about how their night is supposed to be. She would be dancing with him, talking, kissing is a must when it comes to Damon. She smiles when she's counting back to when she met him just over three weeks ago in her bedroom. Now in no more than a month, he is her boyfriend.

Boyfriend.

Damon is more than her boyfriend. Yes, sure he has told her many times that they were soul mates. And she didn't believe him.

Yet, now, the prospect of soul mate is not so crazy after all.

* * *

Elena opens the front door for second time that afternoon. On seven thirty on the dot, she hears a knock on the door. She beams at him as soon as she checks him out, looking extremely handsome and dangerously dashing in his simple black tux with a white dress shirt under it and bow-tie and his usual smirk plasters on his face. The smirk falls when he looks at her. _Stares_ at her more like. It's like he can't keep his eyes off of her.

"You like?" Elena smiles enticingly, twirling herself a bit to show Damon her front and back.

"Oh, I love. You look gorgeous. So very beautiful." He steps forward, taking her in his arms then encasing her lips in his. She responds as soon as his tantalizing lips on her, eagerly attacking his lips. "Stop now or we're not going to prom." Damon says between kisses.

She giggles, pulling away from him but keeps her arms around his neck. "You look yummy."

"Shouldn't I be the one who say that? I'm a vampire, you know."

"Fishing for more compliment, Mr. Salvatore?" she raises an eyebrow in amuse.

"I believe so," he replies with a gleam in his clear blue eyes.

She gazes into his baby blues. "You have the most amazing eyes."

He squints a little, giving her his 'eye thing', "Well, you have the most wonderful and beautiful everything. Whether it's eyes, nose," Damon taps on her little button nose earning him a gleeful laugh. "Lips," he pecks her full lips once. "Even cheeks," he kisses both cheeks adoringly.

"Stop it, you make me blush," she chides flustered. "Thank you for the flowers, by the way. And the corsage," Elena shows him the corsage that is now safely resting on her wrist.

"I was right, it looks lovely on you," Damon mumbles as if he talks to himself.

A minute passes with Elena goes to grab her purse and spray some perfume on her wrists and her neck, then back downstairs to let Damon take her to the school's prom.

"Wait!"

Damon stops in his tracks, "What?" he turns to face his soul mate.

"We haven't taken a photo yet," Elena takes out her iPhone out of her purse, taps some buttons, "Come here."

Damon obliges, standing next to her. She presses their cheeks against each other then clicks away, "Again."

Damon makes a move to bite her on the apple of her cheek earning her a giggles then shoot the photo. For the third photo, though, Elena grabs Damon's face with her free hand then pushed her lips onto his carefully not to ruin her make-up and clicks the white button on her phone to take a picture.

"Oh, this one's nice." She gushes, "I'll send them to you."

After that, they both climb to the Camaro, spend the entire ride in silence. Elena doesn't want to talk thinking Damon has a lot in his mind. Fifteen to twenty minutes later, they find themselves on the school's parking lot. Elena loops her arms through Damon's and happily walking inside the school's gym with her soul mate by her side.

"Wow, they've outdone themselves," Elena murmurs as she takes on the usual gym that has turned into something out of a fairy tale book.

The theme this year is "Fairy Tale Ending", which perfectly shown by the decorations that the committees have done. There are fairy lights everywhere, the buffet full of foods and drinks, not to mention trays fill with cupcakes with little castle on it. The DJ is currently playing Closer by The Chainsmokers with the dance floor full of people dancing away their nights.

"I've never been to a high school prom before." Damon blurts out when they get to a table with Rebekah and Jeremy talking and drinking though they haven't noticed the pair.

"Really? Didn't you go to high school?"

"In 1800s the ladies and the gentlemen didn't even allow to spend their time alone without chaperones let alone going to a dance," Damon rolls his eyes, "Especially dances like this. We preferred the term 'balls' than 'dances'"

"Right," Elena nods, "Do you wanna dance?"

"Maybe later," Damon dismisses her by taking out his flask out of his jacket inside pocket.

"You okay?" Elena asks regarding Damon's hot and cold attitude.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"'Kay. I need to go to the restroom."

Elena dashes out to the restroom though she doesn't need to do her business; she just wants to give him some space. School prom may be a bit overwhelming to him, with people watching your every move; especially they know that Elena has rejected Matt Donovan, the football star, for a much older, much handsome man.

"Elena?"

She turns to find the one guy she has been thinking about, "Hey, Matt."

"What are you doing here? The party's in there, you know." Matt points out to the gym, "You look stunning, by the way." He smiles.

"Thanks, you're not so bad yourself. Where's Caroline?"

"Caroline is here somewhere. I've been commanded to look through the chemistry class for more fairy lights. You know how she is. Striving for perfection, as usual," he chuckles.

Elena smiles. "That's Caroline for you."

"Yeah," Matt sighs, "I'd like to say I'm sorry, I didn't know you have a boyfriend. You know, when I asked you. And also I'm sorry for what some girls have been saying about you."

"Not your fault, Matt. Besides, they're just some immature high school girls and they're just looking out for you. I get it."

"Thanks, Elena." He makes a move towards the gym, "Hug?"

"Friends hugs," Elena envelops him in her arms and they spend less than five seconds before she pulls out of his embrace. "See you inside." Then Matt's gone.

* * *

Damon has been spending his entire day mulling over how the hell can he get Elena to say 'I love you' to him before his time's up. It's not just so he can go back to the way he was before, but he also has already fallen deep in love with her and he doesn't know how to shake her. Hell, he doesn't want these feelings to ever go away. She makes him feel things he'd never felt before, not even with Katherine. Elena is beautiful, that much is true. She's the most beautiful creature he ever laid eyes on. Her eyes show innocent, kindness, yet fierceness that lately she's been showing. Her eyes tell him everything. It tells him that she feels the same way about him; he just has to make her say the words out loud for everything to work.

She's also caring, something that Katherine didn't know about. With Katherine, it's all physical. As long as she was satisfied and happy, she didn't care about his satisfaction. Maybe that was why she loved to string both Salvatore boys into her web. With Elena, though, her affections have won him over. It's one of the things he loves about her. She doesn't hesitate to show him off, she even has this proud look on her face whenever they're together. It's as if she has won a prize with him as hers. He'd never felt valued before, especially with the selfish female vampire around him. He'd always felt inferior to Katherine, though he knew couples have to be equal. Elena makes sure he feels the opposite.

Appreciated.

Cherished.

Loved.

Though the last one hasn't been officially comes out of her mouth, he believes she feels the same.

Tonight, when he picks her up, she looks like a princess.

She's so beautiful it hurts. He feels like she's his yet she's not.

He knows he's been treating Elena with cold shoulder for the past hour, but he can't help it. He wants something that Elena is not ready for. She has built her walls too high for him to crush or even to climb. Over time, the walls has slowly crashing down but not completely yet. He needs her guards to go down if he wants to stay with her.

Damon strides along the school gym, trying to find Elena. He goes out through one of the doors, ignoring the curios whispers and stares from Elena's classmates. When he finds her near the chemistry class, she's hugging, pressing her body to his, the same boy that has asked her to prom a few days ago.

His blood boils. He wants to ruin things.

He wants to punch something, preferably the boy's face until it breaks.

Most of all, he wants to drain him dry so he can't get his hands on Elena ever again.

"See you inside," Damon hears Elena whispers to him as the boy walks away from her.

As if on cue, she looks at his way, smiling when she finds him there. The bright smile drops as soon as she notice the murderous look on Damon's face along with his fangs, that he doesn't notice have come out.

"Damon." Elena runs toward him and as soon as she gets in front of him, she says, "Stop flashing your fangs! What's the matter with you?"

"What's the matter with me?" Damon yells, she flinches, "What's the matter with _you_?! Am I not enough to be your date so you have to go and find another? Am I not enough to provide you with warmth so you find someone else to snuggle with?"

"What?" Elena breathes out.

"I'm out of here." He announces.

Damon walks past her, purposely bumps his shoulder against her so she falls back a little.

"Stop! Damon, wait!" Elena cries, trying to catch up with his fast pace.

Damon stops just before her reaches the door, "What?"

"It wasn't—it was just a friendly hug, okay? He apologized to me because he knows now you're the one I'm with."

Damon stares at her long and hard, trying to contemplate what to do next. It's not that he doesn't trust her with everything he has, but he's been burned so many times that he can't help but feels insecure, though he won't admit it out loud.

"I'm with you, okay? I want to be here with you. Just you is enough for me," Elena tries again as she takes his hands in hers, squeezing it to assure him.

With a purse in one hand, she reaches out her free hand to take his cheek slowly and caress it. Damon watches her intently, trying to find a lie or a doubt in her eyes but he finds none. After what feels like a lifetime, Damon sighs.

"I…" he starts but seems to can't find a word to say.

She smiles softly, lifting herself up to press a kiss onto his unmoving lips. "It's okay. I understand."

"Elena, I—"

"It's fine. You owe me a dance."

* * *

An hour later, with their stomachs full and forgotten fight, Damon takes her to the dance floor. Wrabel's Ten Feet Tall is playing its original version. Damon grabs both of her arms around his neck as he found his resting on her waist, caressing the exposed skin there. They both ignoring the curious looks and the jealous looks, even murderous look from Caroline.

"Mmm, I love this song," Elena murmurs, touching her forehead against his.

"I'm starting to like this too," Damon replies. "Elena, I'm sorry. I should've listened to you before going all jealous caveman and left you."

She stares right into his eyes, ultimately to his dead soul. "It's okay. I know you've been through a lot with… I understand why you do the things you did."

"You shouldn't have been this understanding. It's making me feel guiltier."

"Don't," Elena says, pecking his cheek. "Just be in the moment with me."

"I can do that."

 _I'll be careful, so don't be afraid_

 _You're safe here, no, these arms won't let you break_

 _I'll put up a sign in the clouds_

 _So they all know that we ain't ever coming down_

 _Been trying so hard not to let it show_

 _But you got me feeling like_

 _I'm stepping on buildings, cars, and boats_

 _I swear I could touch the sky_

 _Oh, oh, oh_

 _I'm ten feet tall_

 _Oh, oh, oh_

 _I'm ten feet tall_

"So, Jenna is with Alaric tonight."

"So, I've been told," Damon smirks, knowing where this is going.

"Wanna be my roommate for a night?" She blushes, hiding her face in his shoulder then goes up to kiss his neck.

"You don't even need to ask."

* * *

It's all kissing, touching, caressing, licking, and nipping when they reach Elena's bedroom just a little after midnight. She throws her purse haphazardly while focusing on Damon's tongue inside her mouth exploring every inch of it. She kicks off her shoes as Damon does the same without breaking the kiss. Her hands go to where his belt is located and clumsily rips it off him. She breaks the kiss, only for Damon to kiss and lick her neck hungrily, claiming her as his physically. She moans her pleasure, not wanting Damon to stop. Damon's scent fills her nostrils as Elena's delicious scent fills his senses. She feels liberated, free, like she can do anything with him holding her close. She feels his hand goes up to her top and carefully lifting it up revealing her black lacy bra that her best friend has convinced her to wear earlier, knowing prom night is a night where many girls lose their virginity, not that Elena is a virgin. Damon's eyes feast on the prize on her chest, staring at them like it's the most perfect thing in the world. He unclasps it open carefully, throwing it behind him. He tentatively catches one of them in his hand, feeling the soft skin against his calloused one. She whimpers, feeling the electricity coming from Damon's hand on her breast.

Without a doubt, she brings her lips on his one more time, breaking Damon's trance. They kiss like there is no tomorrow. Elena explores Damon's jaw and neck with her lips and tongue just like he had done on her before, earning a low groan from him, turning her on even more. She'd like to cherish him just like he deserves to be cherished.

"Fuck, Elena," Damon sighs.

She looks up to find his eyes close in pleasure then without any announcement, forcing him to take of his black tux then literally ripping off his white dress shirt, leaving only three button on, while others are flung randomly on the floor.

She stares at his perfect chiseled chest and his rock hard abs. She finds no flaws on his body. She runs her hands enticingly along the lines of his abs then goes back up again when Damon forces her to press her lips on his, ultimately tying their tongues together, kissing her ferociously.

He pushes her on the bed tenderly, before he removes her long princess-like skirt exposing her matching lacy black panties that barely cover her most prized possession. He groans once again before taking her lips in his and tracing her jaw with his lips, craving for her taste.

She moans, silently asking him to take off his pants as well. He understands, and then sits up to take his pants and his underwear off and he witnesses her soul mate's eyes go widen at the sight of his erect member.

"You do this to me," Damon takes Elena's small hand in his and guide it to cup his manhood in hers, moaning when she squeezes it a little.

"You're hard," Elena breathlessly announces. "And big."

"Why, thank you." He grins down at her.

They continue to let their passions to take over their bodies, and in a matter of seconds both of them are completely naked. Damon looks down lovingly at Elena, "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." She smiles softly, taking his lips in hers, nipping it until it opens and touches their tongues together again.

Slowly but surely, Damon positions himself, guiding his hard member into her core, knowing that foreplay would be pointless now that he sees her glistening nub. Besides, he's much too impatient for foreplay. He wants the main course.

"Damon, wait." Elena says when his head in only an inch distance from her core. "I… It's been so long since I've done it. Will it hurt?"

"Oh, baby." He kissed her forehead softly. "I promise you hurting you is the last thing I want to do. It'll hurt but it's okay."

"You sure?" Elena frowns slightly, still fearing if it's going to hurt.

He nods. "The pleasure will beat the pain, I promise."

"Okay," Elena voices her consent.

"Are you still sure, though? You want this with _me_?"

"I don't want to do it with anyone else." She smiles, kissing away his doubts. "I want you."

His face shows his vulnerability, because for once, someone wants him for him. No compulsion. No threat.

Just him.

"Okay," Damon says, moving down her fingers on her core, slowly pushing one digit inside her. "It's for the pain. So that you don't feel much afterwards."

Elena sucks in breathe. He feels amazing inside of her.

Right before her parents' accident, she has lost her virginity to her former boyfriend. She'd been fifteen and he'd been seventeen. He didn't have much sexual experience either so when they did it, it feels wrong. They did it in a clumsy way, making Elena uncomfortable and embarrassed and didn't see him for the next two days. After that, they both apologize to each other, finally decided that they'd better off as friends due to lack of physical attractions.

With Damon, however, he's an experienced lover. He has years of practice, so he knows what he's doing, making Elena more comfortable giving all herself to him.

He adds another finger, earning him a loud moan from her. Her moans itself making him harder and harder. He thrusts his fingers in and out slowly before speeding up and inserting another finger. He groans feeling how wet she is for him.

"You're so fucking wet, Elena. It's not gonna be painful."

"It's all for you. All for _you_ , Damon."

He growls possessively before pulling out of her and teasingly licking his three fingers and kissing her, letting her taste herself. She whimpers at the taste of herself on Damon's tongue. She's too lost in his kiss to feel him pushing himself inside of her, burying himself inside of her warmth.

"Oh, Damon," Elena sighs, feeling him full inside of her is the best feeling that she wouldn't trade for anything.

He lets out his own moan, feeling Elena's gripping him tightly from the inside. "You feel amazing, baby."

He pulls out a little, leaving only the head inside of her before thrusting back in. She rewards him with her hiss. "Fuck, Damon, please."

He keeps up his speed, wanting her to feel pleasure. He kisses her hard on the mouth, letting her control the kiss. "It's gonna be over soon if you keep doing that, 'Lena."

She groans. "You feel so good, Damon. Oh, god."

"Scream all you want, babe. I love hearing you screaming my name." Damon taunts, licking her chest then envelops one of her rosy nipples in his mouth.

"Oh, Damon… God, please. Damon." She screams out loud letting him know she likes what he's doing right now.

He palms both of her breasts, finding it fit in his arms, before squeezing it softly earning him a moan.

"Come for me, baby." Damon moans.

Elena groans, feeling the pressure building up quick inside her before she lets it all out. "Damon, oh, Damon." She chants his name like a prayer, building his own ecstasy inside of him.

Not too long after her release, both hands still holding her breasts like they belong to him, he follows her to the edge. "I love you, Elena."

* * *

 ***Peaks out from behind both hands* Is it good enough for you? This is my first time writing a sex scene, though, be gentle with me ;)**

 **We're getting closer and closer to the end. Damon doesn't tell Elena the truth because he wants her to tell him that she loves him all by herself, because she wants to let him know her feelings for him, not because she knows the time's almost up and she has to say it out loud. Make sense? Hope so.**

 **Anyway, please let me know what you thought, especially because well, like I said, my first time writing explicit scene. Thanks!**

 **Have a nice day/night!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 (Day 23-25)**

* * *

To be honest, Elena would like to say that the birds chirping or the sunlight shines through the window to her bedroom is what wakes her up. But truthfully, it's the feeling of itchiness that slightly makes her squirm on her chin and neck actually rises her from her deep slumber.

She opens her eyes a little, trying to adjust from the little light coming from outside through the window, indicating that it's barely morning. She looks down to find a mop of dark hair with its head making her breasts as a makeshift pillow. She smiles softly when she feels a hand on her hips, pulling her towards its owner. She can feel the hand owner's warmth and deep breaths as he breathes. Unconsciously, she reaches up to caress the silky hair, wondering why the hell the man has hair so smooth that makes women jealous.

Damon's low purr vibrates through her whole body, shifting his head slightly deeper into her cleavage, looking for more comfortable spot.

"Darling, wake up," Elena croons, keep caressing his hair.

"Am sleepin'" Damon murmurs, blowing his warm breath onto her skin.

"Okay."

Elena runs down her left hand, her free hand that's been on his head, to his flawless back, then comes back up again to his head repeatedly earning her his satisfied hums. As she continue doing it, her mind flies back to the night before.

Damon has said something before they fell asleep.

 _I love you, Elena._

While she doesn't have an ounce of doubt that he loves her, she can't find herself saying it back to him yet. Last night was the definition of perfect. Damon has been a tentative yet passionate lover, putting her needs first before his. He has made her deliciously sore though they have made love only once last night. His size is not something she's used to.

 _Made love?_

Yes, last night was all about how Damon proves to love her. She could see it in his eyes, in his body movements, even in his voice; thick with passion and adoration.

Although she can't say it back yet, doesn't mean she don't feel anything for him. Damon makes sure of that. He has climbed over her wall. He has wormed into her brain and eventually her heart. But once left by her loved once, she's still not sure that Damon will stay. She doesn't even know if this soul mate thing has an expiration date or something. She has no insurance that Damon will remain by her side.

"Stop thinking too hard." Damon admonishes by cupping her breast in front of him, making her gasp out her pleasure. He keeps his hand on her mound, letting her know to stay in the moment with him, just like she has asked him to last night at he prom.

"Okay."

"Go back to sleep, baby." He grips her breast as if it is his to begin with then caresses the nipple to soothe her.

"Mmm 'kay."

* * *

The second time Elena wakes up, it's finally because of the sun shines through the window. She blinks a couple of times, turns her head to find that it's eight-fifty in the morning. She yawns then taps the space beside her to find her boyfriend still sleeping. Though, this time, he's laying spread eagle with his foot hanging on the edge of the bed. Elena grins slightly before makes a move to slowly straddle him, which goes unnoticed by Damon since his only response is a barely low groan.

She starts her exploration by kissing his forehead, down to the tip of his nose, then finally his kissable lips. She nips at it, loving the way his lips against hers. Damon, not one to disappoint, kissing her back in a second, wrapping his arms around her so that she lays flat on him, pressing her chest to his.

"Good morning," Elena giggles, feeling the way her lover's arms tightening his hold.

"Morning," Damon nudges his nose with hers adorably. "Are you okay? Are you sore? Did I hurt you?"

"I'm okay, baby, you were right. The pleasure beat the pain." She puts her chin onto his toned chest, lowering her body down a little earning her his moan when her center greets his steel-hard manhood. "Restraint, Damon."

"How can I—ugh, you're so annoying," Damon wiggles his hips a little, pressing himself to her.

Elena moans slightly."Jenna'll gonna be here soon."

"We can continue this in my room," he smirks down at her.

"Then Alaric'll be there. We just have to be sneaky about it."

"Why?" he whines. "They know about us dating, and they sure as hell have expected that we've done the deed."

She laughs heartily. "Doesn't mean we have to prove their prediction is right."

Elena shifts down so that she can place herself beside Damon; putting her head on the crook of his neck then automatically feels the vampire hands cocooning her protectively.

Minutes pass as they trap in their own little world. With Damon's arms around her, she feels safe and protected, like nothing can beat her. Her mind's wandering around how long she gets to keep Damon knowing she's used to having him around. And letting him onto her bed, making love to her, isn't really making stuff easy when suddenly he _poofs_ away.

"Damon?"

"Hmm?"

"Last night… when you say you loved me…"

She feels Damon's body tense. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I didn't say it back," Elena sighs, partly in guilt but mostly in anger for herself for her lack of courage to say it back.

He takes a deep breath then let it out as though breathing is getting difficult for him. "It's okay. I just want you to know that I really, _really_ do love you. I love you for everything that you are."

Elena feels her eyes water. How can she not say it back when she clearly can feel the love radiates from him? She sniffles, "I just—I can't. Not after my parents. Not yet. I'm sorry."

He kisses the top of her head, inhaling the smell of her hair. "Take your time, beautiful."

Little does she know, Damon's sporting his frown deeper than ever.

* * *

"Graduation's coming up."

"Yeah."

"Have you prepared your speech? You're still the valedictorian, right?"

"Thanks for having trust in me, Aunt Jenna," Elena smirks.

"Just saying," Jenna smiles, shrugging her shoulders.

"I have prepared my speech. But I was thinking of going to New York the day after graduation. You know, checking out my dorm, the classes… the foods around. You know how picky I am when it comes to food. Besides, doing everything online can only do so much."

"Yeah, okay. But I have to clear my schedule for the week, I don't know if I can use up all of my vacation days." The older woman's forehead furrows, taking a seat next to her niece at the dining table as they eat their lunch.

"I can ask Damon," Elena suggests.

"You sure?" Jenna is still not convinced.

"Yeah. I promise you we'll behave," Elena grins.

Jenna opens her mouth to responds before closing it again, then she shoots, "How long have you known Damon anyway? I mean I know he's your boyfriend and everything, but letting you go to New York with him…"

"I've known him for almost a month…."

Jenna's puckered brows gets deeper.

Damon's time almost up.

Does Elena not know anything about Damon's a month trial?

"…besides he will—"

"Do you love him?"

Elena's eyebrows shoot up straight. "What?"

"Do you love him? Do you love Damon?"

"Uh…" she seems hesitant to answer. "What's it got to do with New York?"

"I'm just curious," Jenna shrugs, pretending to be cool about it. "You've known him for a while yet you guys been attached to the hip. I had to remove him from you this morning. And I'm pretty sure he stayed over last night."

Elena sighs. "It's complicated, Aunt Jenna. After mom and dad died, letting people in is the hardest thing to do, you know that. By letting myself admit anything about Damon making feel defenseless. I don't want anyone I care about leaving me again."

"Oh, honey," she goes to squeeze her niece's hand.

"He told me he loved me last night. But I'm just not ready to say it back."

"Well, you'd better hurry up. Finding a perfect partner in life is hard, and I'm pretty sure Damon is perfect for you."

* * *

"So, you'll come right?" Elena scrolls down on her laptop, searching for plane tickets to New York. She traps her phone between her ear and her shoulder as she listens to Damon's husky, velvet voice.

It's already Sunday, which means if she wants to get a cheaper price for the plane tickets, she probably should book them now.

" _When?"_

"Next week. After graduation. So… Sunday." Elena clicks on the ticket, looking over through the details.

Damon goes quiet. It goes unnoticed by his girlfriend since she's focused on the screen of her laptop. She clicks on it, then stops at the passengers' box, now fully notice that Damon has been silent, no answering her question yet. "You there?"

A shuffle sound is heard on the line, _"I'm here."_

"So, will you come with me? Jenna got all covered. My inheritance money—"

" _Elena,"_ his voice straightens her up a little. He sounds serious.

"Yeah?"

" _I love you…"_ why does that sounds like a question needs to be answered?

"Damon," she sighs, sitting up on the bed, tickets temporarily forgotten.

" _I… I know,"_ she hears him lets out a deep breath. _"Can I call you later? Alaric needs me with something."_

"Yeah, okay. Bye."

" _Bye."_

* * *

"Damon's been avoiding me since yesterday."

"Why?"

Rebekah takes a spot next to her best friend, copying her sitting position against the headboard.

"Because I'm an idiot," Elena mumbles.

"Look, not your fault, okay? He should've been more understanding. You're not ready. He shouldn't have pushed you to say it back. That… that pusher," Rebekah rolls her eyes.

"But I'm still stupid. How long am I going to be scared? For the rest of my life? I can't just let good things passing by because I'm afraid to be left alone again."

"Elena, listen. If—God forbids—Damon leaves you after you pour your hearts out to him, you still have me. You still have Jenna, even Alaric. We all care about you. Just do something that makes you happy for once. And I can see it clear as day that Damon makes you happy."

"So…." Elena trails off, looking for more encouraging words from her friend because God knows she needs it.

"So, you go to Damon's, make him the happiest man alive, tell him what you really feel about him. I'm pretty sure you feel the same way as him."

"Now?" she asks stupidly.

"Let's just wait until we're doom," Rebekah sticks her tongue out, "Of course now!"

"Right."

With determination and a smile on her face, she gets up, grabs her purse and car keys then out the door in matter of minute with an important person and mission on her mind.

* * *

As soon as she parks her car on Alaric and Damon's driveway, she locks the car and giddily run up the stairs. Knowing Alaric has Jenna on a date, making her feel braver as she pushes the door and let herself in.

She finds no signs of her soul mate anywhere. She checks the den then the kitchen, no Damon in sight. She finally goes to the direction of his bedroom, knocks the door once before she grabs the handle and opens the door.

What greets her, however, is far from her expectation.

Damon, draining the life out of a woman in her late twenties from her slim neck, is too busy sucking the blood he doesn't ever hear her coming in. Fortunately he still wears his pants on while his black shirt is unbuttoned. The woman's face is showing that she's lost in great pleasure combined with slight pain with her black skimpy dress is riding up, showing her wide hips and toned thighs.

Elena feels her eyes wet, tears almost escaping her eyes. She cups her mouth with her hand, not wanting them to know about her presence. After what feels like a lifetime, with tears already falling on her reddened face, Damon gets rid of his dinner, throwing her carelessly on the floor with her blood still dripping slightly from his mouth. He wipes it casually, then as if he just comes back from his trance, he turns to find his horrified soul mate, waves of tears on her beautiful yet pained face.

"Elena," Damon whispers, not believing his eyes that she has witnessed him sucking another woman's blood even after he has promised her no to do that thing again.

She swallows before she turns on her heels, her heart feel like breaking inside of her. The betrayal Damon has done it not only because he has broken his promise to not feeding from people of Mystic Falls, but also because he has been thoughtless about her. Here she is, wanting to apologize for her stupidity, and then telling him what she knows he deserves to hear; that she loves him too, with all her heart. But after this ordeal, Elena just wants to go home and forget everything.

"Wait! Elena, wait! Please, baby." Damon rushes to follow her, not caring anymore about the limp body of his dinner.

She turns around, just in front of the closed front door. Her puffy and red face, signaling how heartbroken she is, breaks Damon's own heart. "Don't ever call me again. Don't come to my house. I don't want anything to do with you." She demands shakily but manage to add an edge of fury.

"Baby, please," Damon pleads, begging her to listen to his explanation. He softly grabs her hand.

"Not your baby anymore, you make sure of that." Elena spits harshly.

"Elena, just listen—"

"In case it's not clear for you… We're over."

* * *

 **5 more days!**

 **Review? ;)**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 (Day 25-Day 28)  
**

* * *

When you've been broken one time, then someone comes along to help you mend the hole inside you, you would've been willing to spend the rest of your life with them. But what will happen if that someone turns out to be your _biggest_ heartbreak that you don't know what to do to tape up your heart back?

Elena drives away to her house with tears still running down her face. The pain in her heart seems to never want to leave its place and makes her feel small. If the world could swallow her whole, she would be fine with it as long as the aching stops. The emotional pain has been growing to physical pain as she starts to feel her eyes getting puffy, like she wants to tear her eyes out from its sockets and she would've been okay with it. But she knows better, she needs her eyes to get to her house, then her room and never comes out until maybe the next decade.

What Damon has done is worse than when she attended her parents' funeral. With the funeral, she knows getting over their deaths will be hard but with moving out of her old house and creates new memories with Jenna makes the hurt lessen. With Damon, though, she knows it's going to be harder. She can't possibly ask Jenna to move away, again. She won't let a heartbreak over a guy controls her life. She's just not that kind of girl. Besides, what Damon has done will make her feelings for him diminish over time. At least she hopes so.

When she gets to the driveway, carefully parks her car, she takes out some tissues from its place then cautiously wipes the remnants of the offensive tears on her cheeks down to her neck. She sniffles once then dabs the mascara streaks from under her eyes. She doesn't want her aunt to see her in this state, like some kind of weak girl that cries in her car along with Celine Dion's All By Myself as the background. She looks at her rearview mirror, repeatedly whispering to herself that it's all going to be okay. She would smile to Jenna, tell her that everything is okay and that she doesn't want dinner then up to her room. She takes a deep breath then in a second out of her car.

"I'm home." Elena announces when she gets to the foyer.

"Hey, I make some… are you okay?" Jenna asks, concerns paint all over her face.

"Sure, but I'm not hungry, though. I think I'm gonna crash early," she offers Jenna a weak smile but her arm being grabbed before she gets the chance to step on the stairs.

"What happened?" Jenna asks seriously, timidly caressing her damp cheeks.

"Got into a fight with Damon, but I'm okay."

"No, you aren't. Did he do something—"

"Aunt Jenna," Elena calls firmly, "I am fine. I'm tired and I wanna go to bed."

Without further explanations, she rushes up to her room and locks the door. She goes to her window to lock them as well, just in case. Her shoulders slump as she looks around the room, doesn't know what she has to do next. She feels lost.

She takes a breath, try to control her emotions and keep her tears at bay. She refuses to keep crying over a relationship. What he has done just proved that she can't let anyone get close to her if in the end they will only causes her more heart breaks. She knows she deserves better than heart breaks.

She throws her purse aimlessly then takes out her white plain tank top and a short flannel pajama pants before she goes to the bathroom. After fifteen minutes, she's out of the bathroom, make-up free but still feels heavy, as if she's been carrying all the misery in the world. Well, she's been betrayed by the only person she trusted, she deserves an early night.

She goes to her bed, gets under the covers and in a minute she falls asleep.

* * *

"He's home?"

"Yeah, I don't think he's come out of his room since yesterday."

"That son a of bitch." Jenna curses angrily.

"What happened?"

"Elena came home crying yesterday evening, won't talk to me, won't even eat her breakfast so I left it outside her room. I came home at four earlier, and I found the tray still full of pancakes, untouched. She loves pancakes, Ric. She loves them. Something's wrong with her." Jenna explains as she trudges to Damon's bedroom door. "Open up, you jerk!"

"Jen…"

"Stop, I wanna talk to him since she won't talk to me. Damon, open up or I swear I'll kick this door down and shoves it to your heart!"

The door opens suddenly. "What?"

Jenna leaves her hand on air as she checks the vampire out. His appearance is no better than Elena's yesterday. His eyes are bloodshot; his hair looks disheveled as if he's been running his fingers through it a hundred times. He even loses that pink tint on his cheeks that Jenna used to see, instead he looks just like the vampires in the movies; pale.

"What the hell did you do to my niece?" Jenna asks rudely as she pushes Damon out of the way and goes into his room followed by her boyfriend. Damon's room is no better; empty alcohol bottles are everywhere, the edges of the dresser has been split in two and there is pieces of glass from the mirror in the bathroom.

"Is she okay?" Damon's eyes lights up in worry, forgetting that both humans have coma inside uninvited.

Jenna places both her hands on her hips. "You do not get to ask me that after what you've done. Now I ask again, what in the fresh hell did you do to Elena?"

"I…" Damon goes to sit on the bed, putting his head between his hands, lowered in shame, "I fucked up. Big time."

"Enlighten us," Alaric demands, crossing his arms.

"I'm nearing my expiration date. She won't say it back—"

"She was going to tell you yesterday. I heard her talking to Bex," Jenna says, frowning slightly.

"…and I—wait, what?" Damon looks up in instant.

"I overheard them talking about it. I saw her running to her car, smiling so big I thought her face gonna rip in two."

"I… fuck!" he stands up then harshly grabs the almost empty bourbon bottle on the bedside table and throws it into pieces on the floor making Jenna and Alaric jump. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

They fall into silence. Jenna tries to find words that are not going to offend the unpredictable vampire. "What happened?"

"I fed off of a woman when she came. She saw me and stormed out. Won't even listen to me and broke up with me," Damon briefly explained in shame. "Nice going, fucker," Damon mumbles under his breath.

Jenna widens her eyes with shock paints all over her beautiful face. "What? You're right, you fucked up."

"Damon…" Alaric shakes his head in disapproval. "No wonder she broke up with you."

"I just… I didn't know what to do, okay? In five days I'd be gone unless she say it. I was frustrated and impulsively picked up a stupid woman on the street and fed from her."

Jenna sighs. "It was a dick move. I understand that you're time's almost up but she's just a teenager, Damon. She already has to endure things that most adults can't even begin to imagine."

"Don't you think I know that?" he spits angrily, at himself, at the world for putting him in this situation.

"What are you going to do? It's Tuesday. Your thirtieth day's on Saturday," Alaric breathes out heavily. He has grown to like the vampire with his mean streaks and all. It will be a bummer for him too if he can't stay.

"I don't know," Damon replies helplessly, moving back to take a seat on the edge of the bed in defeat. "She won't even talk to me. How am I gonna assure her that it was a stupid mistake?"

"She's stubborn, Damon. You've got to find a way if you want to stay," Jenna exclaims.

Damon looks up to face Elena's aunt, showing his face full of sadness and vulnerability. "I love her, Jenna. I'd do anything so I could stay with her."

It's the first time in almost a month Jenna sees Damon's face so different. Gone are the cockiness and confident. "You know, you changed her. You made her happy, you made her back to her old full of life self. And I'm pretty sure she loves you too. You just have to go to her, talk to her, and genuinely say that you're sorry. She's stubborn but she'll forgive you. She's not one for holding grudges."

"I know, she's that amazing," Damon says softly, his mind reeling to Elena's beaming smile everytime she looks at him.

Jenna crouches down so that she's face-to-face with the blue eyed vampire, gently squeezing his bicep, "I'm rooting for you two. Just don't go and hurt her again."

"No, I would never…She's my life," Damon states with wide eyes.

"Then tell her that."

* * *

It's Thursday and she has been successfully avoiding her ex-boyfriend. Jenna has put her breakfast in front of her door for Tuesday to Wednesday but she thinks she will worry her aunt more if she keeps lock herself up in her room. So she's dressed in simple soft pink long sleeve shirt and jeans then go to the kitchen.

"Hey," Jenna greets, half-surprised at Elena's presence.

"Hi," Elena answers weakly. "So, what's for breakfast?"

"I'll make you anything. What do you want?" Jenna asks eagerly since it has been two days that she hasn't seen her niece in person.

"It's fine, Aunt Jenna, just a simple toast and jam would be fine. I know you have a house showing today." She hops on the stool with a glass of orange juice in hand.

"Three showings, actually," Jenna grins, starting to prepare their toasts. "How are you?"

"I'm good, better."

"Have you talked to Damon?" Jenna asks casually, not wanting to make Elena uncomfortable.

"Um… can we not… talk about him, please? It's just that…" Elena trails off, doesn't really want to explain the situation. Telling Jenna all about them is going to be hard, especially the fact that he's a supernatural creature that happens to poof into Elena's life claiming to be her soul mate.

"Sure, if that's what you want. Ric has been telling me something, though," Jenna grabs the two toasts and give them to Elena before popping the other two for herself, "Damon's also been miserable."

"Good." She sneers.

Jenna looks at her, expecting her to be at least curious about the vampire and asking more about him. "Anyway, I'll be done at five, then grocery shopping. So maybe I'll be home at seven or eight. What's your plan for today?"

"Nothing."

"No party invitations for tonight? I remember when I was your age, there were always parties, especially now that finals are over and in a few days you'll be graduated."

"Not feel like going, though," Elena bites into her strawberry toast.

"Okay, then."

After an hour, Jenna's gone to work leaving Elena alone at the house. Absentmindedly she's doing her chores to keep her busy; wash dishes, do laundry, dust the coffee table and every surface in the kitchen and the den. Rebekah's been calling her non-stop that her voicemail full of her annoyed voice asking what happened and telling her that she can't come since it's almost summer and the bakery is rather busy.

Elena's in the middle of making her chicken sandwich for lunch when she hears the doorbell. She puts down her bread and goes to the door. Without looking through the window, she opens it.

"Yes?" she looks up to find Damon standing in his usual dark clothing, uneasily looks up at her as well.

Damn, he looks good. Her heart still skips a beat everytime though he has already betrayed her. She can see the slight black round on his eyes and his skin is unhealthily looking rather paler than usual, but he still pulls everything on him off, making her hard to look away.

"Elena, I—"

"What do you want?" she asks emotionlessly, looking straight into his clear blue eyes and pretending that it doesn't make her weak in the knees.

"I want to apologize. I'm so sorry, Elena. I was stupid and careless and… it was no excuse, I know. I'm just…" he takes a deep breath as if trying to find the right words, "I'm so sorry."

She stares at him guardedly, "No." She closes the door but Damon's foot is faster.

"Elena, please."

"Just come in, the neighbors will talk otherwise."

He releases his breath that he's been holding; at least she wants him to come in instead of throwing him out. He closes the door, turning around to find Elena looking at him anxiously with her arms crossing on her chest.

"You hurt me."

"I know, baby, and I'm sor—"

"I don't need apologize, Damon. I wanted you to keep your promise but you don't. Let alone getting it from a girl. Yes, I was jealous, but that's to be expected. I was your girlfriend for God's sake." She exclaims desperately with tears gather in her eyes. Damon wants nothing but collect her in his arms and whisper sweet nothings to her but he knows he has to at least give her some space.

"It was an impulsive thing for me to do, but I was frustrated, okay?" he raises his tone a little.

"Why? Because I didn't tell you I love you too? Why were you being so pushy about it? You told me you understand that I need some time."

"I…" he pauses, still doesn't want to tell her the truth. He wants her, no, he needs her to say the words all on her own.

"I was gonna say it to you, you know," she confesses quietly, looking down at her shoes, "I was gonna tell you that I feel the same way, but then you… I saw you." The tears that she's been trying so hard to hold finally stream down her face.

His heart breaks looking at her crying because of him, once again. He moves forward to touch her arm but instinctively she steps backwards, not wanting him to lay a hand on her. "I'm sorry…"

She huffs loudly earning a confused look from the vampire. "Can you fucking stop to sound like a broken record? I know you're sorry, but I can't forgive you yet."

"Then what do you want, Elena?" he asks in defeat, letting her control everything because for once, he wants someone to control him if that makes them happy.

"I want some space. I need… time. A lot of time."

He smiles ruefully, finally realizing that she's never going to forgive her and in a few short days, she will get what she wants; she will never see him again and he will never add any more pain and heart breaks for her.

"Take all the time you need."

Damon tentatively strides to where she's standing, hearing her sharp intake of breath. When they are nose-to-nose, Damon softly put his hands on either side of her face, pulling her to face him. He takes a picture of her beautiful brown eyes in his mind, in case he will never see them again. He closes the gap as he softly, lovingly kisses her forehead and closes his eyes. If this is the last moment that they have, he wants to feel her soft skin against his lips once more.

Elena keeps her eyes open; too shock to move as she thought he wanted to kiss her lips. His musky scent invading her senses. She witnesses a tear drop from his eyes, invites another tears coming down from hers as well. She doesn't know why but why does it feel like goodbye?

When he pulls away, he wipes her tears tenderly from her cheeks. He smiles at her adoringly, love shines from his eyes making her speechless. He lets go of her head then takes a step back.

"Bye, Elena."

* * *

 **Don't know why but I shed a tear writing it :( A couple of days more you guys. Will she know the truth?**

 **Don't forget to review, kay?**

 **Have a wonderful weekend!**


	20. Chapter 20

**I have been planning this chapter since the first chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 20 (Day 29-Day 31)  
**

* * *

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." Elena answers as grabs a little black dress from the rack for tomorrow's graduation.

"Huh… I thought he's gonna fight for you more. I don't know, maybe with flowers or chocolate," Rebekah shakes her head, heading for the next rack to find her perfect dress.

They are currently at _Sophie's_ , one of Mystic Falls renowned clothing shops that sell various kinds of dresses. Rebekah literally has to drags her out of the bed earlier; putting on a lot of concealer to cover Elena's puffy eyes, then straps her into the car herself. The blonde bombshell comes to Elena's house intended to find out about Damon's and hers side of the story but when she sees her best friend laying on the bed, looking miserable with tear streaks on her face, she gathers her in a flash into her arms.

"So, you witnessed him with another woman in a compromising position?"

Elena can't tell Rebekah the truth about the problem. There's no way she will know that Damon is vampire and the universe has been playing with her with all that soul mate stuff.

"How many times do I have to tell you that he's cheating on me?" Elena asks exasperatedly.

"It just doesn't make sense," Rebekah huffs. "I hate him for hurting you and I'll castrate him myself if I see him. But you can't deny that his love for you is real. I can see it, you can see it, and the whole school saw it at prom. He was holding you like he won't let you go, like he _couldn't_ let you go."

"Can you just drop it, please? Can we just find a dress and call it a night?" she asks tiredly. Tired of the situation. Tired of crying everytime she thinks about Damon.

"Okay," she sighs.

While Rebekah searches for her dress, Elena waits on one of the sofas next to the entrance as she already found hers; a midnight blue colored dress with, strapless with lace covering the bust.

She thinks back at yesterday's events. Why, why his kiss felt like goodbye? Like they're never going to say each other again. Sure, she's still a bit mad at him right now but that doesn't mean she doesn't want to see him anymore. He has made her happy, that's a no brainer statement. Like Rebekah has said, the whole school now knows that they're in love. She wants to call him or maybe just text him, but wouldn't she be a hypocrite if she does that?

"I'm done. Bright pink dress to go with my silver heels," Rebekah announces happily.

Elena sends her a small smile. "Now can we go?"

"Sure."

In a moment they're sit comfortably in Rebekah's car and she starts the engine. "You know, you won't be sad forever."

Elena muses slightly, "I know, but today I'm allowed to be depressed."

"Just don't forget that you have a graduation speech for tomorrow."

* * *

Today is the graduation day. Elena has to be at the school at least an hour before the ceremony starts. Right now is ten thirty a.m since she doesn't get much sleep last night; she has woken up at nine as she only slept for four hours. She doesn't have to be at the ceremony actually, if she wasn't the valedictorian she won't be going. Besides, her diploma will be sent by mail anyway. Somehow, she feels something big going to happen today.

She has promised Jenna that she will try to look happy and try to act as her normal self. So, she would come down, she would eat breakfast with her aunt and for the rest of the day she's going to pretend that she's okay. That she's not a heartbroken girl.

"Morning," Elena greets as soon as she's in the kitchen, looking at Alaric with slight of surprised as he sits on the dining table, "Ric."

Jenna, looking nervously at her boyfriend, asking her to sit down.

"Is this an intervention or something?" Elena asks as she sits down in front of them. The pancakes that Jenna has made still hot but she doesn't even care. Something is definitely wrong.

"We need to talk," Jenna starts.

"Okay. Talk, then." She straightens up.

"Elena…" Alaric grabs her attention. "What we're about to tell is not because we want to meddle in your business or anything. But seeing you so down lately, we think that it's best for everyone."

"Just cut to the chase, Ric, you're freaking me out," Elena starts fidgeting on her seat.

"Okay, I'll start from the beginning, then," Jenna nods at Alaric, then turns to look straight at her only niece. "Almost a year ago, I'm assigned to sell a house just a little outskirt of town. It's hard, since most people say it's haunted. So, I check it out myself. At the house, I find, no, the journal finds me," looking at Elena's reaction, Jenna can tell that she knows what journal she's talking about.

"I take the journal, read the only passage on it then come home. Several hours later, as I just finished getting ready for bed, Alaric comes. He claims to be my soul mate," Elena let out a gasp, widening her eyes. "He tells me that he is my soul mate. I don't believe him at first, because how come a _ghost_ is my soul mate? Yes, Alaric was supernatural as Damon's a vampire."

Elena's breathing labors, she can't believe her ears.

 _Alaric was a ghost?_

"But how… you're human, Ric." Elena stutters. Alaric only replies with a small smile.

"I was getting to that part," Jenna chides. "Anyway, we start spending time together. I get to know him and he gets to know me. And in three weeks and a day, when he confesses that he loves me, without hesitation I say that I love him. Then… magically, he turns into a human. After that, he exposes that the passage on the journal, the spell, has given Ric and I thirty days to fall in love and then he will turn a mortal so that we can spend the rest of our lives together."

Elena looks at her aunt dumbfounded, still processing the story. "But… so…what?"

"The spell, Elena, gives Damon a chance to make you fall in love with him and you have to say it in front of him for the spell to turn him into a human so that you can live happily ever after together as soul mates do," Jenna informs softly.

She takes an intake of breath. "But, Aunt Jenna, Damon and I… we…"

"I know. This whole time, Ric and I plan everything. For you go to the house to get my document. After that, the spell worked itself. It found you. I just wanted you to start living your life just like before, before your parents' accident. I thought that by bringing you a soul mate, you'd confide in him so that you don't have to be so sad all the time. I'm just sorry that I have to keep this a secret from you," Jenna reaches out to hold Elena's stilled hand on the dining table.

A tear falls down Elena's face as realization comes down to hit her like a bucket of ice. "That's why he… he said goodbye." She mumbles to herself.

"What?" Alaric asks, a thick frown adorns his handsome face.

She sniffles, wiping the tear off her cheek. "Damon came here a couple of days ago. He apologized, I told him I needed a lot of space and time and he said goodbye. But the way he said it… it sounded a lot like goodbye. Goodbye… for good."

"Elena…" Jenna comes to her side as she embraces her niece and letting her cry on her shoulder."

"Aunt Jenna," Elena sobs, the sound of it breaks Jenna and Alaric's hearts. "What am I gonna do?"

"Find him. There's still time. Today's his last day on Earth, Elena. You have to find him before midnight tonight," Jenna orders.

Suddenly Elena sits up, with tears still running down her reddened face, "Ric, where is he?"

A regret splashes all over Alaric's face, "I'm sorry, Elena. He hasn't come home since Thursday."

The brunette feels her heart breaks again into a million of pieces, "I… I have to… my phone…"

Jenna rushes to her niece's bedroom to retrieve the rectangular phone from her backpack then goes downstairs to the kitchen in a minute. "Here."

Elena forcefully takes it from her aunt's hand and punches some button before putting it on her ear. As she waits for him to pick it up, she sniffle some more, taking the tissue that Jenna shoves to her.

 _Nope, can't take your call at the moment. You better pray I'll call you back._

Elena closes her eyes in pain, a new set of tears streaming down her face. "He doesn't answer."

Jenna and Alaric look at each other with worries and sadness; they know there is nothing they can do for Elena and Damon to be together as they already done what they can do.

"Maybe he's at somewhere… some place special that you both visited or something," Alaric suggested.

Elena pauses her sobs, thinking really hard at the places they've been to. He likely won't be at Romeo's since it doesn't even open until twelve. He won't be at the school since Elena clearly has asked him for space. Then she remembers.

"The falls. He took me there once." Elena laughs ironically between hiccups.

Jenna leaves her side to get her a glass of water which she takes greedily.

"Find him, Elena," Alaric encourages, sending a smile at her way.

She shoots up, ready to get her car keys. "Wait… the graduation. I'm the valedictorian."

Jenna grins, "I'll tell them you're sick."

"Thanks."

* * *

Along the road, Elena tries so hard not to think about worst case scenario. As tears keep falling occasionally from her doe eyes, she holds her sight solely on the road ahead. It takes almost an hour to get to the falls if she remembers clearly. She prays to all the mighty above that Damon would be there. She doesn't know where else to go if he wasn't there.

 _God, I'm so stupid._

Her love for Damon bursts inside of her. She no longer can contain it anymore.

She just wants to find him, to hold him and to tell him that she loves him. She loves him so much it hurts.

She looks at the clock on the screen of her GPS, it shows twelve fifteen. She tries to call him again but it goes straight to voicemail.

"Come on, come on… wait—do I go left or right?" she murmurs to herself as she looks at the crossroad in front of her. She stops the car for a while, blinks her eyes as she thinks which way to go to Damon. After what feels like forever, she chooses to go to the right.

She drives and drives, feeling nervous by the minutes.

 _What if he's not there?_

 _What if he's already completely giving up on me?_

"Fuck! Come on… faster, Elena." She scolds herself as she hit the gas, almost touching the floor.

She looks at the white numbers from her peripheral; it shows her that it almost twelve forty-five. She's getting scared if she's lost or something.

Finally, she hears something like water hitting a rock and she smells the humidity. As she gets closer, she sees Damon's blue Camaro and she can just kiss it if it wasn't sound crazy. She parks next to her soul mate's car and starts to hike for at least fifteen minutes.

When she gets to the top, looking straight at the enchanting waterfall, she tries to catch her breath. "Damn, I need to do more cardio."

After getting her breath and heart rate normal, she starts to look around. She searches her left and right before she walks hopefully to the hills surrounding the falls not far away from where she stands, "Damon!" she yells as loud as she can, hoping he will hear her.

"Damon, are you here?" she shouts once again, feeling the tears start to gather in her eyes as her hopes fall by the second.

"Damon, come on," she whispers. "Damon!" she half-yelling half-sobbing as a single tear rolls down her face.

She starts to enter the darken hills, even though it's still afternoon the tress cover almost all the lights from the sun, when she hears foot steps behind her. Instinctively she looks back, finding her soul mate looking at her curiously as well as hopefully.

"Elena?"

She sees him squints his eyes. She knows he can't wrap the fact that she's here, standing in front of him.

Elena's long legs carry her to Damon faster and faster until her chest collides against his and she wraps her arms around his neck, "Damon, thank God."

She feels his arms gather her tenderly yet possessively as usual; his neck hides in her long brown hair as he breathes in her scent. "What's wrong, baby?"

She pulls away but keeps her arms around him, tightening her hold on him. She feels happy tears running down her face uncontrollably. She falls speechless as she can't believe she has her soul mate, the love of her life, in her arms once again after everything they've been through.

"Are you okay, 'Lena?"

She sobs, shaking her head signaling that she's not okay.

"What happened? Are you hurt?"

Damon's caress on her cheek feels right and warm. His other hand takes a hold of her head gently, his frown getting deeper as he doesn't have any idea what is going on with her.

"You were going to leave me," Elena utters breathlessly. "You can't leave me."

"Elena…" he breaths heavily, still holding her lovingly in his arms.

"You can't… don't leave me, Damon."

"I love you, 'Lena. You make me happy. You make me feel wanted, needed. I will do anything so that I can stay, but I can't, baby, I'm sorry—"

"I know everything." She cuts him. She lets go of him so that she can think clearly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You know… what exactly you know?" he asks carefully, keeping her at arm's length as he knows she needs her space.

"That you have thirty days to make me fall in love with you," Elena answers softly. "And that today is the last day. If I didn't do something about it, you'll… you will just vanish." She sobs once again.

"I couldn't tell you…before. I wanted you to say it because you _want_ to say it, not because some spell forced you to," he explains calmly.

"Okay, then."

She takes steps forward, taking his cold hands in hers, "I love you, Damon. I love everything about you, the bad and the good. Just basically everything. You've been… a terrible person, you drink blood from humans for God's sake," Elena chuckles lowly. "My decision today, will be the best or the worst one I've ever decide in my life, but I don't care. Because I'm in love with you. I love you and I don't think I will ever stop."

Damon's eyes widens in disbelieve.

For over a hundred years, he's been waiting for someone to say that to him and means it.

He practically runs a short distance towards Elena, forcefully but tenderly grabs the side of her head and kisses her. He kisses her deeply, as deep as he has never been before. Elena reciprocates immediately, feeling the softness but the dryness of Damon's lips against her. He angles her head so that he can get more access to twine his tongue with hers. Elena's hands cover his on her face, squeezing them gently to let him know that she is here.

She is real.

And she loves him.

Damon lets go of her lips to trail kisses along her cheeks and jawline, barely touching them earning a low moan from her. Her hands themselves have been move to caress his biceps to his back soothingly. He traces kisses and licks to her neck before he feels her grab a handful his dark hair and leads him to her face once again. She kisses him ferociously, nibbling his bottom lips, trapping it between hers. She feels his hands grab her butt, squeezing it rather harshly to let her feel his hardness.

"I love you, Damon."

"I love you t—"

Suddenly Damon falls to the ground with a thud, pulling Elena down as well.

"Damon? Damon, wake up!"

His closed eyes scare the living lights out of her. She taps on his cheek but she gets no response. She places his head on her lap, laying him fully so he can get comfortable.

"Damon," she strokes his jaw, "Damon, please wake up. Don't… don't leave me, Damon please." Her eyes sting as she weeps and sniffle. "I love you, Damon, please."

He still does not wake up.

* * *

The warmth from the soft skin touching his is probably what makes him open his baby blue eyes. He can feel that he's shirtless only with dark grey sweatpants on. He doesn't even remember he owns sweatpants. He blinks twice before looking down to find an arm, a woman's arm, loosely drapes around his middle, pulling him close to the arm's owner. Brown hair starts to tickling his neck as he realizes that a head, a woman's head place itself securely and comfortably on the crook of his neck. He cranes his neck a little, smelling the faint strawberry shampoo from the hair and it relaxes him a bit. His own hand seems to be having its own mind as it moves up and down to caress the woman's arm softly, relishing the feeling of her soft skin against his.

"Mmm… Damon." Elena murmurs, sending shivers along his body.

"Hey," Damon replies against her hair.

Elena's head snaps up, with wide eyes looking straight down at her soul mate, "Damon? You're awake."

He chuckles. "Yeah, I am," he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

She giggles, "Oh, thank God." Elena wraps her arms around him, hugging him close to her. "I thought… nevermind."

She lets him go to send him one of her gorgeous smile. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm… I feel okay. I feel good, actually." Damon takes a deep breath, too deep that he starts to cough a little. "What… am I—"

"You're a human," Elena states with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I'm a…human? I'm a human?" He asks disbelievingly with a smile starts to form on his handsome face.

She nods eagerly. "I called Ric after you passed out. He brought you home. He told me that it's okay. You fainting actually is a process for your body to turn… mortal."

"So, it works? I'm really human?"

"Human from your head to your toes." Elena confirms cheekily, shooting him a kiss on his cheek. "Are you… do you even want to be human? Be human with me, I mean?" Elena whispers, feeling doubts about whether he will stay with her or not now that he's human he can do whatever he wants without an expiration date.

"Silly girl," he taps her nose earning him her small giggle. "My life without you would be meaningless. A lifetime with you is all I want."

"Damon," her eyes feel hot, feeling the tears forming in her eyes.

"Stop it, now. Don't cry, baby. I love you and I will never leave you. I promise you."

"I love you too."

And just like that, Elena bails on her high school graduation for Damon. She spends the entire night rediscovering each other, whispering love and affection throughout the night.

And she won't have it any other way.

* * *

 **And there you have it! Just one more chapter left. Thank you for being with me for like, since the beginning of the story, I really appreciate all your time and reviews!**

 **Have a nice day!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Last chapter of Come to Me, hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

* * *

 **Five years later…**

* * *

" _Have you planned something awesome?"_

"No, I've got nothing." Elena sighs. "Have any suggestion?"

" _Birthday sex is always welcome. Damon would_ really _appreciate it."_ Elena can almost see her best friend's smirks through the phone.

"That's, like, a no brainer, Bex. I even went to Victoria's Secret months ago, almost maxed my credit card," Elena giggles quietly.

Elena props her aching feet on the coffee table in their apartment.

 _Their_ apartment.

After finishing college almost a year and a half ago, Damon and Elena decided to move to Atlanta. Why Atlanta? Well, it's a pretty crowded and big city, it's perfect for them to open their bar and grill that they've been planning for a few months. Since Elena still has their parents' inheritance, they use the money to pay for almost everything. At first, Damon was a bit insecure since she always calls it their business, though in reality they only have used Elena's money to build it. She has convinced him though, with hours and hours of bedroom activities.

After that, finding a perfect place for them to live is one of the things that are a little bit hard to do. Damon has wanted them to live together even before she left her dorm second year of college, but she has always refused telling him that it's good to have some space and some crap about distance makes the heart grows fonder. When she has finally agreed to live together, Damon acted like a five year old kid on Christmas morning. They have decided on a simple two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment with using the other bedroom as their work space.

" _Oh, scandalous,"_ Rebekah chuckles. _"Anyway, Marcel and I have decided to leave at dawn so that we can be there before midday."_

Rebekah has known Marcel, a hunky chocolate skin guy, for over three years now. They have decided to move to South Carolina a year ago for his job in a famous publisher company while she has her own flower shop business. They've been together since their second semester and Elena can't be happier about it since he makes her friend beaming with happiness everytime he's around.

"Okay, Jenna and Ric also will drive at dawn so that they'd be here before evening. I've reserved a table in Damon's favorite Mexican restaurant. Oh, have you booked a room or something?"

" _No, Marcel's sister lives close by to you, six, seven blocks away actually so we're planning to crash there."_

"Okay, good. I'm sorry you have to drive for three plus hours to get here. It's just that Damon's birthday this year is important. I've been secretly spying on him holding something small and I think it's—"

" _A ring?"_ Rebekah gasps.

Elena smiles, but still feels a dash of doubt. "Yeah, I hope so. I just… I love him so much."

" _Aw, I know you do, babe. He's the love of your life. He's your soul mate, yada yada yada…"_

 _You have no idea._ "Yeah. So I'll see you soon?"

" _You bet'cha. Bye."_

* * *

 _Elena closes the door quietly after spending her day waitressing in her bar that she co-own with her boyfriend. Damon has told her that he's got an errand to do so that he would leave early. Having two cooks, two waitresses, and a bartender is pretty helpful but when they have spare time, Damon and Elena like to help out whether it's waitressing or bartending, or cooking for Damon because he's a God in the kitchen as much as he is in the bedroom._

 _"Damon?" She calls out as she puts down her keys and hangs her purse by the door._

 _She walks inside to the living room to find his boyfriend, sitting on the edge of the sofa, looking out at the night skyline adorned with various bright lights from the skyscrapers. The floor to ceiling windows has won her over when they look at the apartment for the first time."_

 _"Babe?"_

 _Damon's head snaps, quickly hiding a small object he' been holding into his pocket making a quiet big bulge. "I didn't hear you come in."_

 _"What's that?" she tips her head to the bulge on his pocket, walking closer toward him still in her waitress' black apron over her tight black jeans._

 _"My phone," he answers quickly._

 _"No, that's too small to be your phone."_

 _He walks closer to her, gathering her into his arms. "Um… Ric asked me to keep something for Jenna. It's a surprise."_

 _"Really?" she raises an eyebrow. "So, it has nothing to do with a girl named Tammy that's been calling you since this morning?"_

 _Damon frowns. How does she know Tammy? "What?"_

 _She steps out from his embrace, crossing her arms across her chest. "Yeah, Tammy. She's been calling you for like five times this morning. Who is she? You needy side bitch?"_

 _Damon blinks. "Elena, come on."_

 _"No, you come on." Her eyes start to sting. God, I don't wanna be weak in front of him. "I've known you for like six years now and never once you lied to me. But you keep doing stuff behind my back, I know it, okay? You've been gone in the morning, back in the evening for two days straight and everytime I asked about it you shut me down. And now you're hiding something from me," Elena let tear rolls down her face and harshly sweeps it using the back of her hand._

 _"Sweetheart, don't cry," Damon steps forward, wanting to crush her in his arms._

 _"Don't, just stay where you are, I need to be mad at you for a while." She spits. "Am I not good enough for you anymore?" she adds._

 _"Elena," he snaps, raising his voice. "Where does this come from?"_

 _She sniffles, knowing she's been acting too much. "I'm sorry… it's just, you've been gone practically all day for two days and I'm tired as fuck and I just want a quiet night with you but you stuffed that thing and I just thought the worst that I can come up with."_

 _"Oh, baby," he crosses to get to her in a flash, holding her small frame in his arms, stroking her hair. "I love you, okay? Don't you ever doubt that."_

* * *

Damon feels feather-like kisses trails down along his perfectly sculpted jaw to his neck. He's between dream and reality now as the pair of lips now go inches up to his closed eyelids, down to his nose, both of his pink tinted cheeks then the corner of his lips. As he feels weight over his hips and a warm core touching his half hard on, silky hair tickling his ears.

"Damon," a small yet melodious voice invaded his hearing making him wiggle his hips. "Wake up, baby."

He murmurs in delight as the woman on top of him pressing her coverless wet core against him and blinks twice to adjust to the low light from, apparently a hundred lighted candles, around the room. He shivers feeling her goosebumps along her smooth skin.

"What?" he breathes, feeling the soft lips of Elena's hovering above his.

"It's five minutes after midnight," she informs cheekily. "Happy birthday, Damon."

He smiles genuinely before rolling them over, puts himself between her opened legs and he feels her locks him in tightly using her long, tanned legs. "Mmm… how do you know?"

"Bree told me," she smiles down at him. "Are you fully awake now?"

"What do you think?" he smirks as he pushes himself inside her deeply earning a gasp of pleasure out of her.

"Damon… please, move."

"Birthday boy gets everything. Don't wanna move yet." He grabs one of her two mounds, squeezing it gently before going down and taking it between his teeth. He bites softly, laps eagerly, and blows it soothingly at the rose-colored bud.

He feels her walls slowly but gradually tightening around him inside of her as she rolls her hips trying to make him move."

"Oh God, Damon," she moans out loud feeling him pulling out before he goes back in.

"Like this, baby? You like this?"

"I love this," she screams out, pulling down his head down to her and hungrily capture his lips in hers, tangling their tongues together in her warm mouth.

Damon thrusts in and out, moving faster as she keeps moaning her pleasure. He grunts feeling her so close to the edge. "I love you, Elena."

"I," Elena groans heavily, "love you too."

She rides out her pleasure and in seconds he follows suit, trapping her as he lowers himself down, still joined inside of her. Elena wraps her arms, keeping him close as she feels him shudder from her skin touching his. She never gets tired of seeing him fall apart because of her. He finds his perfect place to put his head on her neck, feeling her occasionally kissing his temple.

"So, it's your birthday. Round two?"

Damon looks up, a grin appears on his face, "Elena, Elena… have I turn you into a nymphomaniac?"

"Shut up," she giggles, putting his place back on her neck.

"I, um, I have something for you actually."

She looks down to find his big blue orbs focus on her, "what is it?"

He reluctantly gets up from the bed, shaking his head as he hears Elena whines in protest for the loss of contact, then goes to their drawers. He goes to the very bottom of it, making a mess out if his socks and underwear before his eyes light up taking a small object in his hand and hides it from Elena's sight by putting it behind him as he walks back to the bed. He sees Elena with hungry eyes shamelessly staring at his visible bulge since he doesn't bother to put pants on. He sits beside her as she sits up against the headboard, her breasts expose to his eyes as she gives him a wink.

"I have this… for quiet long. I—" he shows what he's been holding to her right to her face. It's a small rectangular velvet black box with a name of a famous brand on it. He opens it easily, displaying a simple silver band with rectangular shaped diamond and small round ones on its right and left side. She gasps, looking at him then goes back to the box. "Elena Gilbert, you have literally changed my life. You make me a better man, at least I think I am. You singlehandedly turns my world upside down. The day you told me you loved me, I was ready to leave this world, permanently this time. I thought by leaving you you would be happier, you would find a normal human man and get married. But then, you came, you came and made me the most happiest person in the world. I love you, Elena. Baby, I can't live without you. I don't want to. You are my life, you are my soul mate, you are everything that I need. And now I want to ask you, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Tears stained faced Elena is something that Damon will never get used to. His own heart breaks everytime she cries, whether it's because of him or a dog food commercial on TV. Right now, on their bed, looking at her crying though, it makes him hopeful that she would say yes.

Elena, with glistening eyes and unreadable expression on her face, says something he most fears. "No."

His heart breaks. It's clearly shows in his clear blue eyes that now telling her exactly what he feels. His mouth slightly hangs open as he digest a single devastating word from her mouth.

"I… okay. I'm just gonna—"

He stands up suddenly, he himself confused that he can still stand up without losing his balance. He closes the lid, hiding he ring, and puts it on the bedside table next to Elena. He pulls his black sweatpants up, hazily doing it as his mind still working on the fact that the love of his life has rejected him. He goes to outside their bedroom to the living room, standing in front of the big window flashing the clear night sky of the city of Atlanta. He stands immobile, doesn't really know what to do. It's clear that she's scared right now just like when she postponed the 'I love you' to him five years ago. Maybe he's rushing her too fast. The fact that she just graduated from college almost a year and a half ago, just opened their own bar midtown, just agreed to move in together after repeatedly ignoring his pleas to have their own place.

Elena, with her business degree, has suggested opening her own business. Damon, with his amazing cooking ability and bartending, having the last two years of practice when Elena was busy with her college assignments and classes, has agreed with her and has opened their grill and bar, _Moonstone_ , just over seven months ago. They still are trying to adapt to their new life together. Now he feels like an idiot for pushing her.

"Fuck. Salvatore, you never do anything right," he scolds himself angrily, taking his bottle half-full bourbon from the coffee table. He drinks it directly from the bottle, taking in three big gulps before harshly throwing it to the fireplace, crashing it to pieces.

 _Shit, Elena must've heard. Nice going, fucker._

"Damon?"

He turns around to find his beautiful woman standing not too far away from him, leaning against the white L-shaped couch that they have picked out a few months ago. She's only wearing her midnight blue cotton panties and his black shirt with her hair on top of her in a messy bun.

 _God, she's so fucking beautiful._

In the age of twenty three, she looks stunning. Words can't even describe her beauty. He still has to throw a death glare or two to the sleazy men who look at her wrong everytime they go out. He just wants to keep her from the world all to himself.

"I'm sorry I woke you up." He says unsteadily.

"I was never asleep," she walks gracefully toward him. As soon as she's a few inches from where he's standing, she takes his hands in hers, making small circles on it. "You know I was joking, right?"

Damon's eyes widen. Surprise and confused paint his perfect face under the moonlight from the window. "Huh?"

She chuckles, placing herself in his arms with her arms hugs him tightly and he finds himself wrapping his around her back, "I was just messing with you, silly. I wouldn't say no."

"You… messing with…"

She looks up at him, stepping forward so that they are now toes-to-toes and chest-to-chest. "Damon, you are by far the most wonderful man I've ever met. Sure, you make me want to strangle you sometimes, you make me want to drive a stake to your heart most of the time," she smirks. "But you also make me feel loved, like I'm the only important thing in your eyes. I can't imagine my life without you, Damon. You have got under my skin and I _won't_ shake you off. Besides, if I declined your proposal, don't you think the universe will be furious at me since it has done everything to link us together? So, I think you stuck with me." She adds before she stands on her tippy toes to lightly give him a chaste kiss.

He's unresponsive at first because her speech is what he's been waiting all along. He doesn't know if she knows, but he's been wanting someone to love him for him. To crave him just as he craves her. To spend her life with him. To annoy him just because but loves him all the same.

Finally, after a few seconds, he finds his strength to kiss her back, turning her chaste kiss into something primal with teeth and tongue. He devours her as if he was a man in a desert wanting water to soothe his thirst. She put her arms around his neck, jumping slightly to wrap her legs around his waist. He brings her around, trapping her between the big floor to ceiling window and his own scorching with lust body. He kisses her hotly; he can never get enough of Elena. She wakes something up in him that he doesn't want it to stop.

"Baby…" Elena moans as he kissing down her neck to her open cleavage.

"Wait…." He looks up vulnerably to focus on her brown orbs, finding them fill with desire and love, "it means you say yes, right?"

She laughs cheerfully, kissing the tip of his nose. "Of course, yes. I can't wait to be Mrs. Damon Salvatore."

He grins, cupping her cheeks tenderly in his calloused hand. "Best birthday ever."

* * *

 **So, there you go! Hope you enjoy the ride as much as I do. Thank you so so much for your attention, your time, your patience, your reviews, your eveything because you not only have made my day, but you also have encourage me to be a better writer. I'll be focusing on Blind Date and Something Like Fate now. Don't forget to check them out. See you on the other side! Have a wonderful day!**

 **One more review for the road?**


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